As an outbreak of COVID crisscrosses the NFL, including multiple cases with the Cleveland Browns, Washington Football Team, Los Angeles Rams, the Texans have also been impacted.
The Texans placed starting linebacker and defensive captain Christian Kirksey on the reserve-COVID-19 list after he tested positive along with safety A.J. Moore and injured defensive end DeMarcus Walker. They joined starting linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill and practice squad running back Jaylon Samuels on the list. Starting running back David Johnson was activated from the COVID list on Monday after missing Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Texans wore masks to an indoor walkthrough practice.
“The changes we’ve made are the changes that the NFL requires us to make,” Texans coach David Culley said. “Usually all those changes come down from the league office, and once the league office gives us those changes, then we go by those changes.
“There’s really not anything else we can do. I think our people here, our staff do a great job of everything that we need to do to prevent this thing from happening. It’s happening across the league. Obviously, this past week and these past couple of days, there’s been a little bit more outbreak.”
Culley said that former Texans linebacker Zach Cunningham, cut because of multiple disciplinary issues and claimed by the Tennessee Titans, was the only unvaccinated player on the roster other than current linebacker Eric Wilson.
Texans players, including safety Eric Murray, said they’re taking every precaution.
“Just the usual: mask up, wash your hands, social distance, and things like that,” Murray said. “I think right now with the holidays coming around and stuff, it’s more important to do those types of things and work on those. That’s really been the general message.
“You’ve got to do what’s best for you to protect yourself. I’ve got kids, me personally, so anything that’s available for me to protect them, I’m going to do that.”
There were 36 positive tests, an NFL record, on Monday, according to the NFL.
There’s talk around the NFL about going back to daily testing with the NFL Players Association advocating for that measure. The NFL is in discussions about incentivizing booster vaccination.
Anderson signed
The Texans signed former TCU and George Ranch running back Darius Anderson to the practice squad. Anderson tried out for the Texans last week.
Anderson went undrafted out of TCU after playing in the Senior Bowl all-star game.
Cut by the Cowboys, Anderson was on the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad and was elevated to the active roster twice. He signed a reserve-future deal with the Colts, but was cut Aug. 17.
At TCU, he rushed for 823 yards and six touchdowns as a senior, 598 yards as a junior and 768 yards and eight touchdowns as a sophomore.
He played high school football at George Ranch, winning a Class 5A state championship as a senior and rushed for 2,274 yards and 30 touchdowns.
He chose TCU over scholarship offers from Alabama, Texas and Texas A&M.
The Texans placed wide receiver Davion Davis on injured reserve with a broken left ankle.
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