Houston Texans urged to finalize deal to sign another Jets star following Tytus Howard injury

The Houston Texans are facing challenges in their offensive line depth, with recent injuries affecting their roster. Analyst Alex Ballentine from Bleacher Report suggested on December 4 that the Texans should consider acquiring former Pro Bowl offensive lineman Rodger Saffold from the New York Jets’ practice squad. The Texans recently suffered a setback when Tytus Howard sustained a knee injury, leading to his placement on the injured reserve for the second time this season.

Despite Saffold’s age of 35, Ballentine emphasized his experience and highlighted that he started 16 games last season. Currently on the Jets’ practice squad, there are no longer practice squad protections in the NFL, allowing any team to sign a player from another team’s practice squad as long as they bring the player onto the 53-man roster.

Saffold joined the Jets on October 31 ahead of the NFL trade deadline but has remained on the practice squad without being promoted to the 53-man roster. The Jets coaching staff has indicated that Saffold needs time to get into football shape, as he had been inactive before joining the team. The Jets have faced numerous offensive line injuries throughout the season, contributing to a constant shuffle in their starting lineup.

With the Jets preparing for their Week 14 matchup against the Texans, head coach Robert Saleh disclosed that starting right guard Wes Schweitzer would be ruled out for the game. This announcement means the Jets will deploy a different starting offensive line unit for the ninth consecutive game. The team has experienced a high level of volatility in its offensive line, with multiple starters at left tackle, center, right guard, and right tackle positions throughout the season.

Week 14 presents an intriguing matchup for the Jets, as they host the Texans, featuring head coaches Robert Saleh and DeMeco Ryans, both of whom previously worked with the San Francisco 49ers. Saleh humorously compared the coaching similarities to the “Spider-Man meme.” Despite the Texans initially being favored by 6 points, the betting line has since shrunk to 3.5 points.