HOUSTON – Texans veteran running back Joe Mixon is doing great, per league sources, after being sidelined in the spring with an ankle injury.
The Pro Bowl selection was in a walking boot at one point in the spring after getting hurt during individual offseason training before regaining his mobility and health as he has ramped up his workouts all summer.
The Texans are regarded as likely to ease Mixon into practice drills and increase his activity gradually at the start of training camp, but his medical outlook is positive as he enters his second season for the defending AFC South champions. Mixon is a key part of the offense, boosting the running game significantly with his tackle-breaking skills and breakaway speed last season. He rushed for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns during the regular season last season despite missing three games with a high ankle sprain suffered on an illegal hip drop tackle that wasn’t penalized, but did trigger a $17,000 NFL fine for Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards.
Mixon, who rushed for three touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys and 159 yards against the Indianapolis Colts last season, is expected to be the centerpiece of the running game in a potentially formidable tandem with former Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb. Chubb signed a one-year, $5 million maximum value deal in the spring.
Meanwhile, Texans veteran offensive tackle Trent Brown was recently medically cleared to resume football activities by Dallas Cowboys team doctor Dan Cooper. Brown underwent surgery last year to repair a torn patellar tendon in his right knee while playing for the Cincinnati Bengals. Brown, a 6-foot-8, 380-pound former Pro Bowl selection and a Bastrop native, is expected to not participate fully necessarily at the beginning of camp.
Texans running back Dameon Pierce missed time in the spring with a relatively minor strained quadriceps. Pierce has recovered from the injury, per a league source, and is expected to be ready for training camp.
Texans rookie wide receiver Jaylin Noel, a third-round draft pick from Iowa State, missed time during minicamp with a minor strained hamstring. Noel has made a full recovery from the setback and is ready for training camp, per a league source.
Veteran defensive lineman Denico Autry is expected to be eased into camp workouts after missing time in the spring with a knee injury. Autry is a proven player and the Texans are expected to take a patient approach and get the 35-year-old ready for the season. Autry had three sacks in 10 games and two starts last season and another sack in the playoffs, missing six games with a performance-enhancing drug suspension.
Texans tight end Brevin Jordan, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament last September against the Chicago Bears, has been making great progress and is running at high speeds again. Jordan is expected to be eased into training camp.
Texans wide receiver Tank Dell will not be practicing or playing for a long time as he continues to recover from a dislocated knee, torn anterior cruciate ligament, torn lateral collateral and medial collateral ligaments as he has undergone two surgeries with Dr. Walter Lowe.
Dell is making significant progress in his recovery in terms of mobility, flexibility and activity, per sources. While Dell is expected to begin the season on injured reserve and will likely miss the entire season, per sources, as it is regarded as much better for his long-term outlook for his career to miss this year and get back to full strength, the team hasn’t been specific about his time table other than to emphasize how well he’s doing and how hard he’s been working.
Texans veteran safety-nickel Jimmie Ward underwent offseason foot surgery and is not cleared to resume practicing after being sidelined for the entire offseason practice schedule. Ward has resumed running and is making good progress toward being healthy again.
Ward, a team captain the past two seasons, was arrested in June and charged with third-degree felony domestic violence. He has been accused of attempted strangulation of his son’s mother. The case, an assault family violence impeding breath circulation matter, is active and has an Aug. 13 court date before Montgomery County Judge Lisa Michalk. The NFL is monitoring the case under its personal conduct policy and Ward remains on the active roster.
“We believe that Jimmie will be vindicated,” Montgomery County attorney Steve Jackson of Conroe told KPRC 2. “We just ask that the public reserve judgment so that we can show everyone that the Jimmie Ward they all know is the same person and did not do this.”
One of the most talented football players on the roster, Texans linebacker Christian Harris put in grueling hours last year preparing for what he had hoped would be a breakout season.
That included training in sand pits and doing defensive back drills to further accentuate his superior athleticism.
Despite all of his work, Harris’ season went awry.
The former Alabama standout and third-round draft pick first injured his calf in July at training camp, there wasn’t even an inkling that a soft-tissue injury would sideline him the entire preseason as well as the first three months of the regular season. Unfortunately, Harris had a setback as he aggravated his strained calf in August and was placed on injured reserve.
He was limited to three games overall, 20 tackles and one sack one year removed from a 101-tackle, two-sack season when he started 12 of 16 games played and displayed a high-energy, aggressive style of play. When he got back on the field, Harris injured his ankle and was sidelined again.
Harris and the Texans are hoping for a healthy 2025 season and the production he was generating two seasons ago. Now, he’ll compete with linebackers Henry To’oTo’o and former Colts starter E.J. Speed for his role this season. To’oTo’o missed time during the spring with a minor injury and is also expected to be ready for training camp.
Harris is expected to be fully ready for training camp. He has spent months rehabbing his calf and making steady progress, per league sources.
“Christian is working hard and he’ll be ready to roll for training camp,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said.
With 4.44 speed in the 40-yard dash, Harris is faster than many of the running backs he competes with.
Harris played defensive back in high school in Baton Rouge, La.
Harris has worked hard to shed during a lengthy convalescence.
“Yeah, he’s been here working, like he always is,” Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke said. “He’s another guy, sound like a broken record. Christian has been doing his thing. All the guys are on different plans and routines. The goal is to get all these guys ready for camp, and he’s on track to be there for us.”
Harris recorded a career-high 101 tackles two seasons ago and returned an interception for a touchdown in a playoff victory over the Cleveland Browns. He became the seventh player in NFL history to record a pick-six for a touchdown and record a sack in the same playoff game since retired Texans defensive end J.J. Watt did so against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012. Harris had eight tackles, two for losses against the Browns. He had seven more tackles one for a loss and repeatedly pressured Baltimore Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson in an AFC divisional round playoff loss.
“Christian, he just has to put the work in like Christian always does,” Ryans said at the NFL owners meeting in March. “It’s just an unfortunate thing that happened to him last year with the injury and it just took longer than we all expected. I know it was tough on Christian mentally. He was able to battle back and get in there some, but he just missed so much time last year.
“Christian was having an outstanding offseason the prior year. I’m looking forward to him doing the exact same thing and have a great offseason, come into training camp healthy, ready to go and let’s see what it looks like and compete.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.
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