HOUSTON – The Texans are expected to get regular kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn back from injured reserve as he has recovered from a strained quadriceps, according to league sources.
Practice squad kicker Matt Ammendola, who missed an extra point in a loss to the New York Jets on Sunday, is being released, per a league source. And the Texans are signing wide receiver Chase Cota to the practice squad after working him out Tuesday along with quarterback James Coan and wide receiver James Washington, per league sources.
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Ammendola had been filling in for Fairbairn and made a game-winning field goal against the Cincinnati Bengals and all three of his kicks against the Denver Broncos in a win.
Fairbairn was having one of his top seasons, making 18 of 19 field goals, before he got hurt. He made 29 of 31 field goals last year and 15 of 19 kicks in 2021.
Fairbairn left the game Sunday during a 39-37 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was replaced by emergency kicker Dare Ogunbowale, a running back who made a key 29-yard field goal and handled kickoffs for the entire second half.
Fairbairn has made 166 of 192 career field goals, an 86.5 success rate, and 199 of 215 extra points.
Cota is the cousin of Texans safety Brady Breeze. His father, Chad Cota, played safety in the NFL.
Chase Cota played collegiately at Oregon and UCLA and has played for the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs. He caught 103 passes for 1,380 yards and nine touchdowns in college. At 6-foot-3, 201 pounds, he has run the 40-yard dash in 4.50 seconds with a 37 1/2 inch vertical leap and a 10-6 broad jump.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com