Texans Face Season-Ending Loss of Jaylin Noel
Houston Texans receiver Jaylin Noel was placed on injured reserve with a foot injury during the team’s Week 8 bye, ending his season. Coach DeMeco Ryans discussed his loss on November 2 as Houston prepared for Week 9.
Noel’s injury removes a productive playmaker from Houston’s offense and special teams. In seven games, the second-year receiver caught 19 passes for 331 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Texans in receiving yards through the team’s first eight weeks. His 17.4 yards per catch and 14.4 yards per target were the highest marks in the NFL, the report said.
Ryans said the team would miss Noel’s ability to create big plays, along with his contributions returning kicks and punts. He added that Noel’s absence could give another player a chance to take on a larger role.
The coach said Houston still had five receivers it trusted to make explosive plays. Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson and Kayshon Boutte were part of the group, while Marvin Harrison Jr. had joined the Texans in a trade with Arizona and Tank Dell had returned from a lengthy injury absence in Houston’s most recent game, against the New York Giants.
Noel’s departure leaves the Texans without a receiver who had provided significant production early in the season. Ryans said he expected the remaining options to help fill the gap as Houston moved into Week 9.
Players: Nico Collins, Kayshon Boutte, Xavier Hutchinson, Tank Dell, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaylin Noel