The Houston Texans activated one player off injured reserve and placed another on the list ahead of their Sunday afternoon matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Rookie linebacker Christian Harris was elevated to the 53-man roster after an injury had sidelined him since September 1st.
Defensive end Jonathan Greenard was placed on the reserve list after sustaining a calf injury this week that is expected to keep him out for some time. Greenard was a third-round pick by the Texans in the 2020 NFL draft, and was a consistent starter for the team last season, racking up eight sacks and 33 tackles in 12 games.
A fellow third-round selection, Harris will be seeing his first action of the season in the coming weeks after a hamstring injury necessitated that he started the season on injured reserve. Harris has a bright future in the league ahead of him as a rangy linebacker who has some pop to his hits on opposing ballcarriers.
With some of the holdovers from the previous regime expected to be moved at the trade deadline, these transactions clear the way for Houston to be flexible in their strategies as November 1st draws nearer. Harris’ inclusion in the Texans’ defense will give them the ability to deal one of the other talented linebackers on their roster for draft picks, and Greenard’s reserve status could potentially clear the way for another trade candidate to see the field in an effort to pique another team’s interest in their services.
While Greenard’s production will be sorely missed by the Texans’ defense, especially with the matchup against Las Vegas just a day away, Harris’ activation should excite Houston fans. The team has an opportunity to leave the Raiders as the AFC’s worst team with a win on the road this weekend, and they could start to claw their way back from the dismal 1-3-1 start that has marred their 2022 campaign to this point.