Braden Smith’s first summer with the Houston Texans may have taken a nasty turn on Wednesday.
The former Indianapolis Colts right tackle went down with an apparent leg injury during a joint practice with the Carolina Panthers and had to be carted off the field. No immediate timetable was announced, but the cart ride alone makes this feel like a situation the Texans will be watching closely.
Smith had signed a two-year, $20 million deal with Houston after the Colts chose to move in another direction and hand the right tackle job to second-year pro Jalen Travis. For Indianapolis, the decision was about managing money in free agency. For Smith, it was a chance to keep playing at a position he had held down for years.
That new chapter now comes with uncertainty. Smith has been a full-time starter on the right side since the Colts drafted him in the second round in 2018, and durability has been the one lingering concern. In eight seasons, he has played only one full season, which came in 2019, and he has missed four or more games four times over the last five years.
Even with that injury history, Smith was still viewed as a valuable piece up front. The Colts’ gamble was that Travis could step in and provide similar production for less money. Houston’s bet was that Smith would continue to anchor the edge at a reasonable price.
There’s also the bigger picture with Smith, who has been open about his obsessive-compulsive disorder and the thoughts of self-harm that came with it. He has long been more than just another lineman in Indianapolis - a real person first, a football player second.
For now, though, the focus is on the injury and what it means for his availability. The early signs are not encouraging, and it looks like Smith could be headed for a significant absence.
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