Jalen Pitre's season may not be over yet, but this must find a way to survive without him.
Accordingly The defensive back suffered a partial pectoral tear in his third year against the and is now expected to miss several games.
Pitre is not expected to undergo surgery, but a timetable for his return has yet to be determined. The standout nickel defenseman could require surgery last offseason, but Houston will weigh all options before determining the best plan to do so
No complete chest tear for Nickel Jalen Pitre, according to league sources, after undergoing an MRI. A decision is still being made as to whether he will undergo surgery
– Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL)
Pitre, who led the team with 75 tackles Sunday, was initially diagnosed with a shoulder injury. After an MRI scan on Monday morning, it was discovered that the extent of the injury was worse than originally thought.
Houston (7-5) continues to battle defensive injuries that have lingered for several weeks. Will Anderson, Henry To'oTo'o, Foley Fatukasi, Jimmie Ward and Kamari Lassiter have missed consecutive games due to injury since the start of the regular season.
The Texans didn't have their projected starting lineup once this season, with Christian Harris playing on injured reserve and Dencio Atury missing six games due to a suspension.
The Texans need to sign a defensive back to the active roster to relieve Ward in the nickel spot. Eric Murray, who has started nine games this season, will likely remain at safety opposite rookie Calen Bullock as the former San Francisco 49ers star moves closer to the edge.
Watching the video again, there is obviously a tear in the right pectoral tendon. Would mean surgery and the end of the season.
— David J. Chao – ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc)
Pitre's injury hurts, but it comes at what could be described as a “relaxing time” of the schedule. The Texans travel to Jacksonville to face a Jaguars team that has two wins before starting their bye week the next afternoon.
Pite will have three weeks to recover before Houston faces the Miami Dolphins in a three-game, 15-day showdown.