Ward is ready to bear season-ending foot surgical procedure. Whereas it’s believed the Eleventh-year defender dodged a fracture and didn’t maintain structural harm, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson signifies the second-year Texan is out indefinitely. Ward couldn’t put weight on his injured foot and left Saturday’s recreation on a cart.
Accidents have been an everyday challenge for Ward over the course of his profession. As he has toggled between pure security and slot nook, the previous first-round decide has missed 51 video games as a professional. This included seven absences final season and 5 extra coming into Week 16. The Texans nonetheless reached a second contract settlement with the longtime 49er this summer time, giving him a one-year add-on. The second Texans deal introduced Ward $8.8M at signing, placing him beneath contract by way of 2025, although it will value Houston solely $4.6M in lifeless cash to maneuver on.
Ward’s harm troubles could immediate the Texans to have that dialog, however the 33-year-old cowl man has performed 4 seasons beneath DeMeco Ryans through the latter’s time as a head coach or defensive coordinator. Total, Ryans has been on workers — as a top quality management coach or place coach, initially — in eight of Ward’s 11 seasons. He has operated completely as a starter since following Ryans to Houston in 2023.
The Texans positioned Pitre on IR on account of {a partially} torn pectoral muscle, an harm anticipated to sideline the latest second-round decide for the season. Ward’s harm additional thins a secondary that seems in some hassle. Houston used Myles Bryant initially to interchange Ward within the slot, earlier than then sliding rookie boundary nook Kamari Lassiter inside and transferring Jeff Okudah to the perimeter place reverse Derek Stingley Jr. One in every of these two plans might be wanted transferring ahead, because the Texans take care of one other setback of their secondary.
The Texans additionally noticed their most sturdy offensive lineman go down. Shaq Mason, who had not missed a recreation for the reason that 2021 season, left the Chiefs matchup with a knee harm. The 2023 commerce pickup, nevertheless, is believed to have prevented a severe harm, Wilson provides. That may put the veteran guard in play to return later this season. Although, Houston’s proper guard starter remains to be anticipated to overlook a while.
Kendrick Inexperienced changed Mason, who had been the one Texans participant to not miss time throughout Ryans’ first season. Mason entered Week 16 having began 60 straight video games. The Texans had already moved Tytus Howard from proper sort out to left guard, with Juice Scruggs out with a foot harm. Scruggs just isn’t on IR and will return in Week 17.
