As practice broke late Wednesday morning at the Methodist Training Center, a welcomed face emerged from the facility with a helmet in hand and ready to take the field.
Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. returned to live reps and was a for the first time in nearly a month in preparation for Sunday’s season opener against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. The reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year had been dealing with an ankle injury since the team left for the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio.
While Anderson could need time to ramp back up for full speed, he made it clear during Wednesday’s open locker room that he’ll be suiting up when the Texans take the field against their AFC South foe at noon.
“It felt really good to be around the team again,” Anderson said. “Last week, I just started a little bit. I missed the guys a lot. I’ve been trying to get right. It’s been exciting.”
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The No. 3 overall pick of the 2023 draft has already proven he’s the long-term heir apparent to three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt. Anderson started off his career with a promising road outing against the Baltimore Ravens.
That sparked a season for the ages down at NRG Stadium for the former Alabama All-American. In 15 games, Anderson totaled seven sacks, 64 quarterback pressures and 22 quarterback hits. He also helped Houston’s defense finish with a franchise record 46 sacks en route to its first division title in four years.
The Texans should feel great about their overall pass rush with a healthy Anderson. Free agent addition Danielle Hunter set a tone in the preseason with a sack and two pressures against Justin Fields and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Houston also still has Derek Barnett and Jerry Hughes, both of whom excelled as rotational options last season.
Here’s a look at the full injury report for the Texans and Colts after Wednesday’s practice:
Houston Texans
| Player | Injury | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Game status |
| DB MJ Stewart | Knee | DNP | |||
DNP: Did not practice
LP: Limited participation
FP: Full participation
Indianapolis Colts
| Player | Injury | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Game status |
| WR Josh Downs | Ankle | DNP | |||
| K Matt Gay | Hernia | DNP |