HOUSTON – Texans linebacker Christian Harris and offensive guard Kenyon Green have officially returned to practice after being designated for return from injured reserve.
Harris’ pending return was previously reported last week and earlier this season by KPRC 2.
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Sources: Texans linebacker Christian Harris expected to be designated for return after bye week
The Texans officially launched both players’ 21-day practice window to return to the 53-man active roster. Harris is healthy and expected to be active relatively soon, potentially providing a boost to a defense that lost starting linebacker and team captain Azeez Al-Shaair for the next three games for a suspension for his controversial hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
“Christian has done an outstanding job of working off to the side and our strength and conditioning staff, sports performance staff has done a great job of working with Christian,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Just seeing him back out and moving around, he looks like himself physically and it is just a matter of missing a lot of football and just a matter of him getting back in and getting those mental reps.
“Nothing can help you do football except playing football. So, he just has to get out there and get those physical reps of hearing a call, getting lined up. But, physically, he looks like he is in a really good spot.”
'Not having Azeez will hurt but we're moving on to Miami' #Texams coach DeMeco Ryans @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/4rxQjwQfY0
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Harris initially strained a calf muscle, and now he’s returning to practice after a lengthy recovery that had its stops and starts.
Harris originally injured his calf in July before aggravating the soft-tissue injury in late August before being placed on injured reserve.
The speedy former third-round draft pick from Alabama is now designated for return.
It’s not as simple, though, as simply plugging in Harris as soon as he returns to practice. He’ll likely need a few weeks of ramp-up time to get back in football shape and cut down the risk of aggravating his calf. Harris is moving well and no longer in discomfort having regained his mobility and flexibility, according to sources.
Harris recorded a career-high 101 tackles last season and returned an interception for a touchdown in a playoff victory over the Cleveland Browns. Harris is coming off his best NFL season. He became the seventh player in NFL history to record a pick-six for a touchdown and record a sack in the same playoff game since retired Texans defensive end J.J. Watt did so against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012.
The Texans need depth at linebacker after losing Al-Shaair.
“We’ve had a number of players, to your point, that have played that position,” Caserio said. “Devin has come in and given us some snaps at different points. Henry has done a really good job from start to finish, even going back to last year as our leading tackler. Neville Hewitt, there’s a guy nobody really talks about, but whenever the guy goes in the game, he’s a tackling machine. He’s one of our best players in the kicking game.”
Kenyon Green, the Texans’ former starting left offensive guard, dislocated his left shoulder against the New York Jets and was placed on injured reserve.
Green injured his shoulder and immediately went to the blue medical tent for evaluation. Then, the former first-round draft pick from Texas A&M, a one-time blue-chip recruit from Atascosita High School, went to the locker room to get more medical attention.
Now that he’s back, the Texans have options at left guard where Juice Scruggs has stabilized the position after moving from the starting center spot. They could conceivably shift Scruggs back to center and have current starting center Jarrett Patterson back him up. Or Green could be a reserve and they make no change.
Ryans was noncommittal on whether Green will regain his starting job, or play this week against the Miami Dolphins.
“As of right now, when it comes to the lineup, we will see how that progresses throughout the week,” Ryans said. “I am not making any decisions here today.”
Kenyon Green was nearly replaced by Kendrick Green before the Jets game after being benched against the Indianapolis Colts and replaced by Patterson before Patterson suffered a concussion and was ruled out of the game. Green went back in and finished the game.
Kenyon Green was struggling against the Jets’ pressure packages, allowing penetration. While he had one pancake block in an encouraging moment, his overall blocking performance was shaky.
Green had already been put on notice.
Green allowed seven pressures, one sack, two quarterback hits and had a season-low 21.9 pass blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus analytics, and was benched and replaced by Patterson before being reinserted into the game against the Colts when Patterson suffered a concussion when his helmet collided with linebacker E.J. Speed’s knee in a 23-20 win at NRG Stadium. Green went back into the game and eventually his play stabilized in the second half after some words of encouragement from offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.
Green had a rough game against the Green Bay Packers, as did Scruggs. Green had a 29.0 pass blocking grade and allowed one sack, three pressures and two hurries.
Green got into much better shape this offseason after missing his entire second season with a torn labrum. He’s down to 315 pounds, losing roughly 30 pounds. However, he’s still having fundamental blocking issues and his play has declined since arguably the best performance of his career in the season-opener against the Colts when he regularly pancaked defenders and allowed zero pressures or sacks and had a 74.4 pass blocking grade.
To his credit, Green, 23, was accountable about his shortcomings in the game.
“I wasn’t playing well,” Green said after the Colts game. “So, they had to make changes. It’s football. You got ups and downs. So, just continue to keep going, keep pushing.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.
