Denico

Autry

Collins and Kirk were ruled out on Friday after not practicing all week. Active for the Texans off the questionable line are DL Denico Autry (knee) and CB Jaylin Smith (hamstring), each of whom recently came off PUP. Mertz is the third quarterback. The others are healthy scratches.

He’ll play in tonight’s game against the Seahawks, as will rookie safety Jaylen Reed, who was also activated off PUP today. Autry is no spring chicken at 35, but he should give the Texans some additional inside pass rush ability going forward and make their defense a little harder to work against on passing downs.

Autry now has 21 days to return to the field. The veteran pass rusher totaled three sacks in 10 games for the Texans last season and will likely serve as a rotational piece for the defense once he returns to action. Per PFF, Autry saw 226 of his 314 defensive snaps come in pass rush situations, setting the expectation for what we should expect with his return.

Autry will now miss at least four games. The Texans’ talented pass rush can survive without their veteran rotational player but he will be welcomed upon his return. The Texans face the Ravens in Week 5.

The 34-year old veteran defensive end was set to make a total of $9 million in the second year of a two-year deal he signed in 2024. The reworked contract converts a portion of that salary to a signing bonus. Autry will now make $7.5 million in total pay this season. Autry has $1 million available in per-game roster bonuses. The deal will save the Texans nearly $4 million in cap space. A six-game suspension for a performance-enhancing drug policy violation limited Autry’s availability in 2024. He had 13 tackles and 3 sacks in 10 regular season games and added a sack in the playoffs.

Autry released a statement saying, “It was important to me that the NFL know that I did not intentionally or even knowingly ingest a banned substance.” According to Autry, he wrongfully received medication from a pharmacy that was supposed to provide him with a different medication as prescribed by a doctor. Autry said he sought legal counsel and “provided the NFL with information, including documentation” from his doctors as proof that he “neither asked for nor was prescribed any banned substances.” Autry said he accepts the six-game suspension but also plans to look into legal options as they pertain to his situation. Autry totaled 50 tackles and a career-high 11.5 sacks for the Texans last season. He will be eligible to return in Week 7 when the Texans take on the Packers at Lambeau Field.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports the deal includes $10.5 million guaranteed. That’s a nice haul for a player going on 34. With the Titans the past three seasons, Autry registered at least eight sacks each of the past three years, including a career-high 11.5 in 2023. He’s going to max out in the 600-700 snap range, but he is a great piece to add for the Texans’ fast-improving defense.

Good news for Justin Herbert and company. Autry got in two limited practices but missed Friday’s practice and was ruled out. There may be more to this story, and Autry may go on injured reserve after avoiding it initially if he had a setback in his recovery.

This is significant because Autry hasn’t practiced since Week 11. Having missed each of the last three games, his return to practice on Wednesday is an early indicator that he could suit up for Week 15 against the Chargers. Prior to his injury, Autry had totaled 20 tackles and seven sacks while forcing one fumble. His return will be a welcomed one as the Titans prepare to make a push for the postseason.

Autry hasn’t practiced since Week 11, making this his third straight missed game. The Titans will also be without LB David Long (hamstring) and CB Kristian Fulton (core) on defense this week.