The Texans will be missing at least one of their starting offensive tackles when they face the Chargers on Saturday.
Right tackle Trent Brown was ruled out on the team’s final injury report before the game. Brown missed practice all week with ankle and knee injuries.
They could also be without left tackle Aireontae Ersery. The rookie is listed as questionable with a thumb injury that kept him out of practice on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Cornerback Ajani Carter (hamstring), defensive lineman Darrell Taylor (ankle), and wide receiver Justin Watson (calf) are all listed as questionable to be activated from injured reserve.
Linebacker Jamal Hill (calf, wrist) has been ruled out along with Brown.
Chargers Clips
The Chargers have listed three players as questionable for Saturday’s game against the Texans.
Running back Kimani Vidal is part of that group. Vidal is dealing with a neck injury that kept him from practicing on Tuesday and Wednesday. He was estimated to be a limited participant on Thursday.
Right guard Mekhi Becton (knee) and defensive tackle Teair Tart (groin) are also carrying questionable designations into the game.
The Chargers ruled out wide receiver Derius Davis (ankle), safety RJ Mickens (shoulder), offensive lineman Jemaree Salyer (hamstring), and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste (shoulder). Quarterback Justin Herbert (left hand) and edge rusher Bud Dupree (back) are among other players on the report who have no injury designations.
The current AFC defensive player of the week was back at practice for the Texans on Wednesday.
Cornerback Derek Stingley sat out on Tuesday because of an oblique injury, but the team’s injury report shows that he was back to work in a limited capacity. Stingley has not missed any games this season.
Safety Kamari Lassiter (foot, knee) also returned for a limited practice. Lassiter has also started all 15 games for the Texans.
Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (ankle, knee), defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (knee), and defensive end Dylan Horton (hip) were the team’s other limited participants. Linebacker Jake Hansen (chest), linebacker Jamal Hill (calf, wrist), right tackle Trent Brown (ankle, knee), left tackle Aireontae Ersery (thumb), and defensive lineman Denico Autry (knee) did not practice.
Running back Woody Marks (ankle), cornerback Ajani Carter (hamstring), long snapper Austin Brinkman (knee), defensive lineman Darrell Taylor (ankle), wide receiver Justin Watson (calf), and tight end Dalton Schultz (knee) were full participants. The Texans will issue injury designations for Saturday’s game against the Chargers on Thursday.
Last year, the Chargers lost to the Texans in the wild-card round of the playoffs, 32-12. The two teams meet again on Saturday.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert keenly recalls his subpar showing in Houston.
“It was one of those things that you continue to think about,” Herbert said Tuesday, via Kris Rhim of ESPN.com.
For the game, Herbert completed 14 of 32 passes for 242 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions. His passer rating was 40.9.
“No one felt worse than I did after that game,” Herbert said. “And I think it’s important to continue to move forward and realize that it’s what happened. It would be crazy of me to deny the truth of what happened and to live in this reality where if I tried to block it out, I don’t think that’s doing any good.”
Has Herbert improved from that Saturday in January?
“I sure hope so,” Herbert said. “Those are games that, as hard as they are to watch, you got to learn from them.”
He’ll get a chance to show what he’s learned on Saturday. The 10-5 Texans are still chasing a spot in the wild-card round. The 11-4 Chargers, who clinched on Monday night when the Colts lost, are trying to chase down the Broncos for the AFC West crown.
Appeals officer Jordy Nelson upheld the two-game suspension of Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman on Tuesday. Perryman will miss Saturday’s game against the Texans and the Week 18 game against the Broncos.
The league suspended him on Monday for repeated violations of player-safety rules.
Perryman was flagged for unnecessary roughness for delivering a forcible blow to the helmet of Cowboys receiver Ryan Flournoy while Flournoy was on the ground after making a catch during the second quarter of Sunday’s game. That action violated Rule 12, Section 2, Article 10(b), which prohibits “using any part of the helmet or facemask to butt or make forcible contact to an opponent’s head or neck area.”
In 10 games, Perryman made 47 tackles and three pass breakups.
He previously served a two-game suspension in 2023 while with the Texans for repeated violations of player-safety rules.
Perryman is eligible to return to the Chargers’ active roster on Monday, Jan. 5.
The NFL and NFLPA have three jointly appointed hearing officers, with Derrick Brooks and Ramon Foster the others.
The Chargers could play Saturday’s game without two key offensive lineman in a season of injuries to their offensive line.
Right guard Mekhi Becton (knee) and left tackle Jamaree Salyer (hamstring) did not practice on Tuesday.
However, right tackle Trey Pipkins (ankle) had a full practice and is trending toward a return. Pipkins injured his ankle in Week 14, sidelining him for the past two games. Trevor Penning replaced him.
Running back Kimani Vidal (neck) was among others not practicing.
The Chargers signed running back Jaret Patterson to the active roster and running Royce Freeman to the practice squad as insurance.
Wide receiver Derius Davis (ankle), safety RJ Mickens (shoulder) and defensive lineman Teair Tart (groin) were the other non-participants on Tuesday.
Wide receiver Keenan Allen and outside linebacker Khalil Mack had rest days.
Outside linebacker Bud Dupree (back) was limited.
Quarterback Justin Herbert (left hand) was a full participant.
Texans running back Woody Marks (ankle) is on track to return to the field for Saturday’s game against the Chargers.
He was a full participant in Tuesday’s practice.
Marks injured his ankle in the Week 15 victory over the Cardinals and missed Sunday’s game against the Raiders.
In 14 games this season, Marks has 167 carries for 584 yards and two touchdowns.
Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (oblique) was among the players out of practice on Tuesday. Stingley didn’t practice two days last week before returning to a limited session. He played all 54 snaps on Sunday and made an interception and forced a fumble.
Defensive end Denico Autry (knee), offensive tackle Trent Brown (ankle/knee), offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery (thumb), linebacker Jake Hansen (chest), defensive end Dylan Horton (hip) cornerback Kamari Lassiter (foot) and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (knee) also didn’t participate.
Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (ankle/knee), cornerback Ajani Carter (hamstring) and tight end Dalton Schultz (knee) were limited.
Chargers running back Kimani Vidal suffered a neck injury in last Sunday’s win over the Cowboys and the team added some backfield depth to the active roster on Tuesday.
The Chargers announced that they have signed Jaret Patterson off of the practice squad. They also signed running back Royce Freeman to the practice squad.
Patterson has played in four games for the Chargers already this season. He has 32 carries for 129 yards and a touchdown in those appearances. He also played one game for the Chargers last season and made 20 appearances for Washington earlier in his career.
Omarion Hampton reclaimed the top role in the Chargers’ backfield after coming off of injured reserve earlier this month. Hassan Haskins is also available heading into their Week 17 game against the Texans.
The AFC and NFC rosters for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games were announced on Tuesday morning.
Votes from fans, coaches and players were used to select the teams. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce led the fan vote and was named to his 11th Pro Bowl. Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, and Bears safety Kevin Byard were the other leaders in that vote, but Williams is not on the initial NFC roster.
Chargers tackle Joe Alt did make the AFC roster despite playing in only six games before being shut down with an ankle injury.
Three teams — the Jets, Saints and Vikings — have no Pro Bowlers. The Broncos, 49ers, Ravens, and Seahawks each had six players selected.
The Pro Bowl Games will be held in San Francisco on February
The full rosters appear below with starters indicated by an asterisk.
AFC
Quarterback: Josh Allen*, Buffalo Bills; Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers; Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Running back: De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins; James Cook, Buffalo Bills; Jonathan Taylor*, Indianapolis Colts
Fullback: Patrick Ricard*, Baltimore Ravens
Wide receiver: Ja’Marr Chase*, Cincinnati Bengals; Nico Collins*, Houston Texans; Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens; Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
Tight end: Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders*; Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Offensive tackle: Joe Alt*, Los Angeles Chargers; Garett Bolles*, Denver Broncos; Dion Dawkins, Buffalo Bills
Offensive guard: Quinn Meinerz*, Denver Broncos; Quenton Nelson*, Indianapolis Colts; Trey Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
Center: Creed Humphrey*, Kansas City Chiefs; Tyler Linderbaum, Baltimore Ravens
Defensive end: Will Anderson Jr.*, Houston Texans; Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders; Myles Garrett*, Cleveland Browns
Interior linemen: Zach Allen, Denver Broncos; Chris Jones*, Kansas City Chiefs; Jeffrey Simmons*, Tennessee Titans
Outside linebacker: Nik Bonitto*, Denver Broncos; Tuli Tuipulotu, Los Angeles Chargers; T.J. Watt*, Pittsburgh Steelers
Inside/middle linebacker: Azeez Al-Shaair, Houston Texans; Roquan Smith*, Baltimore Ravens
Cornerback: Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots; Derek Stingley Jr.*, Houston Texans; Pat Surtain II*, Denver Broncos; Denzel Ward, Cleveland Browns
Free safety: Jalen Ramsey*, Pittsburgh Steelers
Strong safety: Kyle Hamilton*, Baltimore Ravens; Derwin James Jr., Los Angeles Chargers
Long-snapper: Ross Matiscik*, Jacksonville Jaguars
Punter: Jordan Stout*, Baltimore Ravens
Place-kicker: Cameron Dicker*, Los Angeles Chargers
Return specialist: Chimere Dike*, Tennessee Titans
Special-teamer: Ben Skowronek*, Pittsburgh
NFC
Quarterback: Matthew Stafford*, Los Angeles Rams; Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks; Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Running back: Jahmyr Gibbs*, Detroit Lions; Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers; Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk*, San Francisco 49ers
Wide receiver: Puka Nacua*, Los Angeles Rams; Jaxon Smith-Njigba*, Seattle Seahawks; George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys; Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
Tight end: Trey McBride*, Arizona Cardinals; George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
Offensive tackle: Penei Sewell*, Detroit Lions; Tristan Wirfs* Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers
Offensive guard: Tyler Smith*, Dallas Cowboys; Joe Thuney*, Chicago Bears; Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta Falcons
Center: Drew Dalman*, Chicago Bears; Cam Jurgens, Philadelphia Eagles
Defensive end: Aidan Hutchinson*, Detroit Lions; Micah Parsons*, Green Bay Packers; DeMarcus Lawrence, Seattle Seahawks
Interior linemen: Jalen Carter*, Philadelphia Eagles; Leonard Williams*, Seattle Seahawks, Quinnen Williams, Dallas Cowboys
Outside linebacker: Brian Burns*, New York Giants, Jared Verse*, Los Angeles Rams; Byron Young, Los Angeles Rams
Inside/middle linebacker: Jack Campbell*, Detroit Lions; Zack Baun, Philadelphia Eagles
Cornerback: Jaycee Horn*, Carolina Panthers; Devon Witherspoon, Seattle Seahawks
Free safety: Kevin Byard III*, Chicago Bears; Antoine Winfield Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Strong safety: Budda Baker*, Arizona Cardinals
Long-snapper: Jon Weeks*, San Francisco 49ers
Punter: Tress Way*, Washington Commanders
Placekicker: Brandon Aubrey*, Dallas Cowboys
Return specialist: Rashid Shaheed*, Seattle Seahawks
Special-teamer: Luke Gifford*, San Francisco 49ers
The Colts’ Monday night loss to the 49ers is the Bills’ gain. And the Jaguars’. And the Chargers’.
All three teams have officially clinched playoff berths, as a result of the 49ers beating Indianapolis, 48-27.
The Broncos and Patriots also have clinched, nailing down five of the seven AFC berths. The remaining spots will go to the AFC North champions (Steelers or Ravens) or the third wild-card position (Colts or Texans).
In the NFC, five teams also have clinched: Seahawks, Eagles, Rams, Bears, and 49ers. The final spots will go to the NFC South champion (Buccaneers or Panthers) and the final wild-card team (Packers or Lions).
Of the 10 that have qualified, five were’nt playoff teams in 2024. The field of new playoff teams will be as high as seven, if the Colts and Panthers make it. Six, if only one of them does.
