Despite a tough loss to the Jaguars in Week 12, the Titans are still 6-5 this season and are very much alive in the AFC playoff race. Houston has done an excellent job protecting their franchise QB, rookie C.J. Stroud. He’s in the MVP conversation this season and that is in large part due to his offensive line giving him time to be a playmaker.
However, the Texans have been dealing with injuries to their offensive line all season and have had to shuffle players around. In their last game, starting RT Tytus Howard injured his knee in the first quarter and did not return. Unfortunately, Howard will miss the rest of the 2023 season and will require surgery on his knee. Not what the Titans or Howard wanted at this point in the season.
Who will step up for the Texans and play RT for the rest of 2023?
The #texans have done a brilliant job up front protecting C.J. Stroud and Howard has been a big part of that. But Houston has done a solid job dealing with injuries on their OL this year as well. Nevertheless this is a tough one. https://t.co/MlOMvXNC6Y
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) November 29, 2023
Before the start of their training camp in 2023, the Texans signed Tytus Howard to a three-year, $56 million deal. He broke his hand shortly before Week 1 and missed the first four games of the season for Houston. The 27-year-old started in all seven games he played this season. Howard was being shuffled around this season for the Texans who have been dealing with multiple injuries on the offensive line.
They had Howard playing left guard at one point instead of his natural position at RT. Houston picked up his fifth-year option worth $13.2 fully guaranteed in 2023. This shouldn’t affect his ability to sign a long-term contract with the Texans. Howard played in all 17 games last season and has played in at least 14 games in each of his last three seasons. He’s been a reliable player and his injury luck was unfortunate in 2023.
Texans OT Tytus Howard (knee) to miss rest of 2023 season, per @RapSheet https://t.co/7IBmb7aHb5 pic.twitter.com/q1ZgSv8Sw6
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) November 29, 2023
When Howard left the game in the first quarter of Week 12, he was replaced by 2023 second-round pick Juice Scruggs. He suffered a hamstring injury in Houston’s last preseason game and has only appeared in one game during the regular season. Additionally, he was on the IR at one point too. However, he came into the game and replaced Howard at RT for the Texans. It’s possible that the team moves forward with Scruggs as their starter for their final six games of the season.
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