The Houston Texans announced on August 15 that they have placed quarterback Graham Mertz and running back Joshua Pitsenberger on the Reserve/Injured list. This decision comes as the team needed to make room on their roster for quarterback Brett Rypien, who is replacing Mertz following his injury.
Mertz sustained a season-ending knee injury during the Texans' preseason opener against the Los Angeles Chargers, occurring just before halftime. Pitsenberger also suffered an injury late in the game. Both players' injuries add to the Texans' challenges as they navigate through the preseason with a number of players sidelined.
In addition to Mertz and Pitsenberger, other players facing injuries include Ja'Marcus Ingram (shoulder), Collin Wright (soft tissue strain), Jake Hansen (ankle), Brevin Jordan (knee), Jawhar Jordan (strained hip flexor), and British Brooks (broken hand). The Texans have reported that Mertz's injury is a torn ACL, confirmed by an MRI.
Despite the injuries, head coach DeMeco Ryans noted that the team has managed to keep their starting players healthy, with the exception of linebacker E.J. Speed, who was lost to a quad injury earlier in the offseason. The Texans are expected to continue evaluating their roster and may make further moves as training camp progresses.
