HOUSTON – Texans starting running back Woody Marks was sidelined at practice Wednesday with a lingering ankle injury.
With Marks not practicing as the Texans try to manage his injury that forced him out of the game Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, veteran Nick Chubb returned to practice on a full-go basis from a rib injury.
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Chubb missed the Arizona game, but appears to be healthy now. Chubb and Jawhar Jordan, who rushed for 101 yards in his NFL debut Sunday and has been promoted to the 53-man roster took the first handoffs at practice.
Several players didn’t practice Wednesday, including All-Pro corner Derek Stingley Jr. (oblique) and starting corner Kamari Lassiter, middle linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (ankle), defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (elbow, shoulder), offensive tackle Trent Brown (broken finger), linebacker E.J. Speed (knee), defensive end Denico Autry (knee).
The majority of the players, including Marks, Stingley and Lassiter, could return later this week. A lot will depend on how they’re feeling and how the coaching staff wants to approach Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders. It would be a good opportunity to, while still having enough personnel to win the game, rest some key players or take them out of the game if they build a commanding lead.
Depth is ultra-thin at defensive tackle after season-ending injuries sustained by Mario Edwards Jr, Tim Settle Jr., and Foley Fatukasi. The Texans are set with starters in Tommy Togiai and Rankins and have an experienced backup in Naquan Jones.
The fourth defensive tackle Sunday is expected to be a practice squad elevation. The Texans signed Marcus Harris, a former seventh-round draft pick from Auburn, to the practice squad and have three other players they can promote or elevate in Haggai Ndubuisi (6-foot-8, 340-pound international player), Junior Tafuna and Marlon Davidson. Davidson has the most experience. Ndubuisi is the biggest player on the team. And Tafuna, a former Senior Bowl all-star game selection from Utah, played well in the preseason.
Autry has the capability to kick inside and shoot gaps.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com