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The Texans’ first pick in the 2019 NFL draft is now on the shelf for the rest of the season.
The #Texans placed first round pick RT Tytus Howard on injured reserve because of a torn meniscus that will now get fixed, source said. He has been battling it. They signed DL Eddie Vanderdoes to the active roster to fill the spot.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 30, 2019
Aaron Wilson (via Houston Chronicle):
A 6-5, 322-pound former all-conference selection from Alabama State, Howard partially tore the medial collateral ligament in his right knee against the Kansas City Chiefs, but didn’t have to undergo surgery.
Howard returned after missing just two games, but dealt with the injury for the past three games before being shut down Saturday after aggravating his knee.
While Howard was originally drafted to play left tackle in Houston, he was moved to guard and then right tackle after Laremy Tunsil was acquired. Howard had finally seemed to settle in at right tackle as the season progressed, so this is a sizable loss. He will have the whole rest of 2019 and the offseason to rehab, watch game film, and do every ounce of mental prep work necessary to step up in his sophomore season.
Now fan favorite Roderick Johnson will compete with Chris Clark to replace Howard on the right side of the Texans’ offensive line to protect Deshaun Watson, with Johnson considered the favorite to start on the edge.
Roderick Johnson is next man up at right tackle for Texans, per league sources, with rookie Tytus Howard out for rest of season.
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) December 1, 2019
Houston’s offensive line had improved from dead last in the NFL to somewhere in the middle of the pack. It remains to be seen how the rest of the line will fair with Howard for the rest of the year, but we’ll start to find out tomorrow night when the Patriots take the field at NRG Stadium for Sunday Night Football.