Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans did not have much to offer when it came to questions about the respective statuses of running back David Montgomery and safety Jalen Pitre, two starters who have missed multiple games due to injuries.
Ryans told reporters on November 2 there was “no significant update” on either player.
“Everybody is still working their working their way back,” Ryans said. “We’ll see how everyone continues to progress throughout the week.”
Both Montgomery and Pitre have been sidelined since the Texans’ win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 5. Montgomery is dealing with a groin issue, while Pitre injured his shoulder during the contest.
That was the Texans’ first win of the season, but the losses of the veterans were costly.
“#Texans running back David Montgomery is making progress from groin injury that has sidelined him past three games,” KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson reported on X on November 2. “While return isn’t imminent, sources say rehab process headed in right direction.”
Montgomery, 29, has 138 yards and 2 touchdowns on 52 carries and a 7-67-1 line as a receiver out of the backfield.
Despite his slow start, Montgomery is a potential trade candidate, albeit an unlikely one.
“Montgomery has certainly underperformed from where his initial expectations stood upon the Texans’ trading a fourth-round pick for him,” On SI’s Jared Koch wrote October 31. “Maybe another team out there needs help in the backfield and feels that they can get a second wind out of the veteran running back that Houston hasn’t been able to find. Mark this one down as unlikely, though.”
Texans Get Insider Upate on David Montgomery, Jalen Pitre
The Texans acquired Montgomery in a trade with the Detroit Lions this past offseason. The early returns have been uninspiring beyond a 3-TD debut in Week 1, but his return should be a boost.
There was similarly encouraging news regarding Pitre.
“#Texans nickel Jalen Pitre also making steady progress in recovery from AC shoulder joint sprain, per sources,” Wilson announced in another post on X as part of a flurry of updates in their return from the bye.
Pitre has 24 total tackles, 5 pass deflections, 1 fumble recovery. He is a safety by trade, but he plays nickelback for the Texans and has been impactful when on the field.
“We all miss him a ton. Jalen gives us so much flexibility of what we’re capable of doing on defense. We were able to stay nickel defense to whatever a team may throw at us, and we had our entire playbook at our disposal. Now, just having to change personnels a little bit more to put us in favorable positions. Jalen is a man. He’s a man. Physical, dynamic, everything you want. As a blitzer, a tackler, he does it all right. And when you miss a guy like that, it changes some things,” Ryans said on “Texans Radio” on October 27.
“It’ll be great to get get Jalen back, because he means so much to our defense, and he’s such an important piece to what we do schematically.”
Of course, neither update provided a timeline.
That leaves the status of both players relatively vague ahead of Week 9 against the 0-7 Los Angeles Chargers. Wilson also reported that reserve offensive tackle Blake Fisher (thumb) will practice this week.
Houston Texans Get Insider Update After DeMeco Ryans’ Remarks