On the same night they lost receiver Will Fuller to a season-ending injury, it sounds like the Texans also lost a top cornerback for several weeks. Mark Berman of Fox26 in Houston reports (via Twitter) that Johnathan Joseph suffered a high ankle sprain and a MCL sprain during Thursday’s win over the Dolphins. The injury will sideline him for two to three weeks.
The Texans’ cornerback corps have been decimated by injuries. Kayvon Webster, Kevin Johnson, and Jermaine Kelly are currently sitting on the injured reserve, while Aaron Colvin is expected to be out for the next few weeks as he recovers from an ankle injury. With Shareece Wright sitting out Thursday’s game, the Texans rolled with three healthy cornerbacks: Joseph, AJ Moore, and Johnson Bademosi.
While Joseph’s absence is exasperated by the team’s injury woes, the 34-year-old would be especially missed in the Texans’ secondary. The veteran was having a resurgent season in Houston, compiling 34 tackles, one pick-six, and eight passes defended in eight games (eight starts). Pro Football Focus has Joseph ranked 12th among 112 eligible cornerbacks.
Fortunately for the Texans, they may not need to add another cornerback. The team can always turn to safety Kareem Jackson for snaps at the position. Plus, since there are nine days between their Week 8 and Week 9 contests (plus a bye in Week 10), Joseph could end up missing only a single game.