HOUSTON – Texans Pro Bowl left offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil is officially out for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts and left guard Josh Jones is stepping in for him.
The Texans’ other inactives are safeties Jimmie Ward (hip) and Jalen Pitre (bruised lung), running back Mike Boone, cornerback Alex Austin, linebacker Neville Hewitt (illness, COVID-19) and third quarterback Case Keenum
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Wide receiver John Metchie III is active for his first NFL regular-season game after missing his entire rookie season battling a treatable form of leukemia.
The Texans elevated second-year offensive tackle Austin Deculus and safety-special teams contributor DeAndre Houston-Carson from the practice squad for Sunday’s game.
The Texans signed offensive guard Michael Deiter from the practice squad to the active roster. Deiter played left guard and one play at right tackle against the Baltimore Ravens a week ago.
They released veteran defensive end Derek Rivers from the active roster.
A week ago, the Texans were forced to shuffle their injury-battered offensive line during the second half of a 25-9 loss to the Ravens. When right tackle George Fant, the replacement for injured right tackle Tytus Howard, who’s on injured reserve as he recovers from hand surgery, left the game with a right shoulder stinger, the Texans moved Deiter over to tackle. Deiter, though, surrendered a strip sack as rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud fumbled. After that, Jones played right tackle the remainder of the game. Fant is set to go for Sunday’s home opener at NRG Stadium.
With Tunsil not expected to play and Jones lining up at left tackle, the Texans are starting center-guard Kendrick Green, per a league source.
Green is a former Pittsburgh Steelers third-round draft pick acquired during the final roster cutdown.
Deculus is a 6-foot-6, 325-pound Cy-Fair graduate drafted in the sixth round last season out of LSU. He played in five games last season with no offensive snaps, playing strictly on special teams.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com