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DJ Bien-Aime, ESPN
CINCINNATI — The Houston Texans will receive help in their secondary before their Week 10 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Texans’ cornerback Derek Stingley was activated from injury reserve on Saturday after suffering a hamstring injury at the end of a Week 3 practice.
The 2022 No. 2 pick has dealt with injuries through his first two seasons. Stingley has played in 11 of the 21 games of his Texans career after playing only three games during his final season at LSU because of a foot injury.
But when Stingley has played, there’s been signs of a promising talent. In 2022, quarterbacks had a passer rating of 70.1 when targeting him. Through 11 career games, he hasn’t allowed a touchdown in coverage.
Stingley’s return comes when the Texans’ secondary has suffered a rash of recent injuries. Cornerback Steven Nelson (neck), safety Jimmie Ward (hamstring), and defensive back M.J. Stewart (shoulder) were injured during the Week 9 matchup against the Tampa Buccaneers. Stewart was placed on injured reserve, Ward was ruled out for Week 10 and Nelson is questionable.
The Texans signed defensive back Grayland Arnold to the 53-man roster to deal with the injuries to the secondary.
There also was an injury to the Texans’ kicking situation. Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn suffered a quad injury in the second quarter against the Buccaneers. Running back Dare Ogunbowale replaced Fairbairn and made a 29-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, becoming the first non-kicking specialist to make a field goal in a regular-season game since wide receiver Wes Welker did it for the Miami Dolphins in 2004.
Fairbairn’s quad injury has now landed him on the injury reserve. The Texans signed kicker Matt Amendola earlier in the week and have elevated him to the 53-man roster ahead of their matchup with the Bengals.
