HOUSTON – Texans starting wide receiver Christian Kirk and primary return specialist Braxton Berrios were officially ruled out for Sunday’s game with hamstring injuries.
It’s a tough development for the Texans’ passing game and special teams days before a season-opener on the road against the Los Angeles Rams.
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Kirk has a one to two week recovery anticipated, per league sources. Berrios is expected to be out a relatively short amount of time, per sources.
Both didn’t practice Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.
Starting right offensive guard Ed Ingram (abdomen) was limited Thursday and did the warmup portion of practice open to reporters Friday. He is listed as questionable, but is traveling with the team Friday to Los Angeles and is expected to try to play.
Backup left tackle Cam Robinson (illness) participated fully, as did backup right tackle Blake Fisher (sprained ankle). They have no injury designation.
Should Ingram be unable to play with a source characterizing him as a game-time decision, the Texans have a few logical alignments they can employ.
The most likely scenario, if Ingram is sidelined, would be their original configuration before Robinson injured his lower leg at The Greenbrier and lost his starting job to massive rookie Aireontae Ersery. That would involve shifting Ersery to right tackle, having Tytus Howard play right guard, where he began training camp, Jake Andrews at center, Laken Tomlinson at left guard and Robinson back with the starting offense at left tackle.
Ersery has been preparing all week to play left tackle, his natural position where he was named the Big Ten Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year last season as he shut down Penn State star pass rusher Abdul Carter. Whomever plays on the left side faces a tall task: blocking Rams standout outside linebacker Jared Verse, last year’s NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
A less complicated, but much less likely option for the line if Ingram is out would be to have Juice Scruggs, a former second-round pick and starter last season, step in at right guard and leave Ersery and Howard at tackle.
Without Kirk and Berrios, rookie wide receiver Jaylin Noel figures heavily into the replacement plan for both spots. Noel is a classic slot receiver with 4.39 speed and good hands. He was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year last season at Iowa State before being drafted in the third round by the Texans. Jayden Higgins and Xavier Hutchinson could get more targets, too. And Collins’ workload figures to increase even more.
Kirk is the Texans’ No. 2 wide receiver behind Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins and had established himself enough with his route-running skills and hands that teammates called him a “slot magician.”
Acquired in a trade from the Jacksonville Jaguars, Kirk was brought into provide a reliable receiving presence in tandem with Collins. His $15.5 million base salary was restructured into a $14 million signing bonus for salary cap purposes to create $12 million in savings with the addition of void years for signing bonus amortization.
Kirk was limited to 25 catches for 320 yards and a touchdown last season in eight games after breaking his collarbone. He has caught 404 career passes for 5,176 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Berrios caught a touchdown in a preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings. He’s a former All-Pro selection who has 134 career catches for 1,323 yards and six touchdowns with 3,289 return yards and four rushing touchdowns.
With Berrios’ injury, the Texans figure to lean even more into former Pro Bowl alternate running back Dameon Pierce as the main kickoff returner. Pierce is explosive and capable of breaking long runs, and tackles.
Right tackle Blake Fisher was upgraded to full participation. He has been recovering from a minor sprained ankle.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com