MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Texans rookie starting linebacker Christian Harris injured his shoulder in the first quarter and left the game.
Harris immediately went to the blue medical tent to be examined. He remains on the Texans’ sideline.
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He was replaced by Blake Cashman with Jalen Reeves-Maybin joining him in a three-linebacker alignment next to defensive captain and middle linebacker Christian Kirksey.
The Texans replaced rookie Kenyon Green at left offensive guard, inserting veteran Justin McCray. Green later went back in after watching a few series from the sideline.
Green has struggled mightily.
The first-round draft pick from Texas A&M, a former consensus All-American and All-Southeastern Conference selection who was a blue-chip recruit at Atascosita High School, has allowed a lot of pressure and been penalized a ton in recent games while competing with some of the top interior defensive linemen in the NFL.
Texans coach Lovie Smith indicated Monday that he prefers to let Green continue learning on the job.
“It’s big boy business a little bit, too,” Smith said. “That’s what we’re going to do with Kenyon. I believe there’s been a lot of learning moments that we’ve gone through with him. A part of taking that next step is to go through some of those days, when the guy that’s playing against you may be better than you right now, but you learn and you just hope you get better and better. What we’re going to do if that player, whoever it is, Kenyon, whoever, is who we think is our best option, we have to let them get their nose bloodied a little bit. Keep going to try to get them better.”
Aaron Wilson is a contributor to KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.