Texans Activate CB Derek Stingley Before Bengals Game
CINCINNATI – The Houston Texans will receive a much-needed boost in their secondary as they prepare to face the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10.
Texans’ cornerback Derek Stingley has been activated from the injury reserve after recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during a Week 3 practice. The 2022 No. 2 pick has faced injury setbacks in his first two seasons, playing in only 11 out of 25 games due to various ailments. Stingley’s final season at LSU was also cut short due to a foot injury, limiting him to just three games.
However, when Stingley has been on the field, he has shown glimpses of his immense talent. In 2022, opposing quarterbacks had a passer rating of 70.1 when targeting him. Impressively, Stingley has yet to allow a touchdown in coverage throughout his 11-game career.
Stingley’s return comes at a crucial time for the Texans’ secondary, which has been plagued by recent injuries. Cornerback Steven Nelson (neck), safety Jimmie Ward (hamstring), and defensive back M.J. Stewart (shoulder) all suffered injuries during the Week 9 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Stewart has been placed on injured reserve, Ward has been ruled out for Week 10, and Nelson’s availability remains uncertain.
To address the depleted secondary, the Texans have signed defensive back Grayland Arnold to the 53-man roster.
In addition to the defensive woes, the Texans also faced an injury to their kicking game. Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn suffered a quad injury in the second quarter against the Buccaneers. Running back Dare Ogunbowale stepped in as a replacement and made a 29-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, becoming the first non-kicking specialist to achieve this feat in a regular-season game since wide receiver Wes Welker did it for the Miami Dolphins in 2004.
As a result of Fairbairn’s quad injury, he has been placed on the injury reserve. The Texans have signed kicker Matt Amendola and elevated him to the 53-man roster ahead of their upcoming matchup with the Bengals.