The Texans are signing linebacker Jamal Hill to 53-man roster, from the practice squad, per a league source.

Veteran starter Henry To'oTo'o is headed to injured reserve, per a league source, with his injured left shoulder to sideline him for roughly two months.

Hill, a converted safety and former sixth round pick from Oregon with 4.45 speed, has recorded 10 career tackles, one forced fumble

To’oTo’o suffered a severe enough shoulder injury to make carrying him on the active roster impractical.

To'oTo'o injured his left shoulder during a 36-31 loss Sunday to the Buffalo Bills. He was in a sling after the game at Reliant Stadium.

He was replaced on the first-team defense by reserve linebacker Jake Hansen, a special-teams standout.

To'oTo'o signed a two-year, $17 million maximum value contract extension in August.

“Unfortunately, Henry had a shoulder injury," Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday. "He'll be out for some time now.”

Earlier Monday, Ryans indicated the team hadn't made a decision yet on To'oTo'o's status.

There is an NFL limit of eight players being designated for return from injured reserve.

The Texans already have several candidates on that list, including offensive tackle Braden Smith, defensive tackle Kayden McDonald and wide receiver Tank Dell. The Texans previously lost linebacker E.J. Speed to a season-ending torn quadriceps tendon during the offseason.

Losing To'oTo'o represents a blow to the Texans' defense.

“What Henry brings to our defense is he brings this smart calmness to our defense," Ryans said in August."He's always in position, always exactly where he should be. You can count on him. You can put a lot on his plate. He can handle things. He can play the Mike and the Will position. He’s a very versatile guy. Henry plays with passion and fire, that rubs off on other guys. To see him play, it's fun to watch him play.

"Henry is a guy that I can always count on. Asking guys to probably change up techniques and put him in those situations where I may want to change some things, Henry is a guy who can take the coaching well and go apply it on the field and put himself in position to make plays for us.”

To’oTo’o is coming off a strong season. He recorded 95 tackles, second-most on the Texans’ top-ranked defense last season behind Pro Bowl middle linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, with a career-high 2 1/2 sacks and nine tackles for losses with four quarterback hits.

To’oTo’o, 25, starting next to Al-Shaair, has piled up 261 career tackles, 18 for losses, two forced fumbles and one interception with four sacks before this season.

Texans backup linebacker Jake Hummel is regarded as week to week, per Ryans, with a groin injury.

Hansen has experienced as a starter. He started two games two seasons ago and recorded seven tackles with one for a loss against the Green Bay Packers and had a sack against the Indianapolis Colts. Hansen replaced him in the lineup Sunday and played seven defensive snaps.

Rookie linebacker Wade Woodaz, who's playing in a protective brace after breaking his thumb during the preseason and undergoing surgery, played exclusively on special teams Sunday.

Woodaz, a fourth-round draft pick from Clemson who's a converted safety, has prototypical linebacker size and speed at 6-foot-3, 236 pounds with a 4.52 time in the 40-yard dash. At some point, the Texans are expected to give him a shot to play.

Woodaz returned an interception 80 yards for a touchdown in the preseason, picking off Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Seventh-round draft pick Aiden Fisher made the Texans' 53-man roster and was a healthy scratch on Sunday.

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL insider for KPRC 2 and Sports Talk 790. His YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AaronWilsonSport

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