Dylan Cole did not play more than 39% of defensive snaps in any single game in 2019. However, when the Houston Texans lost him for the season on Thursday to a torn ACL, they felt it.
Cole, the team’s special team captain, wasn’t a superstar on the Texans’ 53-man roster. However, his loss to the team was as profound as when J.J. Watt suffered a torn pectoral in Week 8. The third-year linebacker is a leader.
“I think any time you lose a guy like Dylan, like when we lost J.J., you lose guys that — forget about the team for a second, just the personal part of that,” coach Bill O’Brien told reporters Monday. “It means so much to those guys to play. Dylan was a captain, special teams captain, was a leader in the locker room. Was really, really good at his role, like one of the better players in the league at his role.”
Cole played a unique role for the Texans. Since going undrafted out of Missouri State, the undersized linebacker (6-0, 237) had earned praise for his electric athleticism, intensity and speed in special teams.
Cole also excelled as a coverage linebacker for the Texans. Often, Houston brought him out to play third downs. He recorded a below-average 91.9 passer rating in coverage before the injury, per Pro Football Reference.
“So, now the next guy has to step up, whoever that guy may be,” said O’Brien. “There’ll be a couple of guys that may have to step into those roles that he played.”
The lead candidates to fill-in for Cole include inside linebackers Peter Kalambayi and Tyrell Adams. Veteran outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo could also see an uptick in snaps.
However, there is no replacing Cole’s on-field presence as a leader. He is much more than a special teams body — like anyone who suits up.
“It’s more personal when that happens, for me, because I have a lot of respect for Dylan and I know how hard he works and how well he plays,” O’Brien said. “So, it’s just a tough thing.”