The Houston Texans will have some availability problems at safety when they take on the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at TIAA Bank Field.
Houston will be without safeties A.J. Moore and Terrence Brooks as both defensive backs have been placed on the COVID-19 reserve. Justin Reid will also miss time as he is still dealing with a concussion.
The lack of safeties present an opportunity for Jonathan Owens to step up as a contributor in the secondary, and the former Missouri Western State product is up for the challenge.
:I prepare every week as if I am going to go out there and play,” Owens said. “Whenever the coaches do call my number and give me a more impactful role for team, I’m always prepared. Excited for the challenge and whatever they asked me to do, I’m ready to do it.”
Owens has played 11 career games for Houston since 2019. Last year saw his highest number of games active with six. In Week 14 against the Seattle Seahawks, Owens played 23 snaps on defense and finished the game with two combined tackles.
Although Owens does not have any career starts, he will play considerably against the Jaguars. After playing four games for Houston this season, a fifth will only expand his confidence on the backend.
“You go out there and like you said, you play more snaps, you get more comfortable, you think less when you are out there,” Owens said. “It has been a while, probably since college before I have gotten a lot of defensive snaps. This year they have been slowly building me up. I went in for a couple of series one game and I played a big portion of the second half last game. Just building my confidence up slowly and like I said, I’m excited for the challenge.”
Owens was undrafted in 2018 and spent the entire season on the Arizona Cardinals practice squad. The Cardinals waived Owens at the end of the 2019 preseason, and he has remained with Houston since late September of that year when the Texans signed him to the practice squad.