The Houston Texans will rely on five linebackers on their 53-man roster after Jake Hummel was moved to injured reserve with a groin injury sustained against Cincinnati. The designation requires Hummel to miss at least four games before Houston’s Week 3 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts. He had missed six straight team practices.
Hummel’s absence covers the Colts game, a Week 4 home game against the Dallas Cowboys, and road matchups with the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars in London. Houston now has four linebackers on injured reserve or the physically unable to perform list before completing three games of the season. E.J.
Speed is dealing with a significant offseason quad injury that could sideline him throughout 2026. K.C. Ossai opened the season on injured reserve, and Henry To’oTo’o was placed there after hurting his shoulder in the fourth quarter against Buffalo in Week 1.
The remaining linebackers are Azeez Al-Shaair, Jake Hansen, Jamal Hill, Wade Woodaz and Aiden Fisher. Hill recently moved up from the practice squad, while first-year draft picks Woodaz and Fisher could see more defensive and special-teams work.
Houston could add or elevate another linebacker, but Kenneth Murray, the lone linebacker remaining on the practice squad, will not be available against Indianapolis because the team had already used its elevations. Hummel has mainly played special teams and has 150 career defensive snaps. The report was published by SI.com.
