The Houston Texans learned on Monday that starting quarterback Ryan Mallett will miss the rest of the season with a torn pectoral. However, the team waited until Wednesday to make any corresponding roster moves. According to ESPN, the Texans have finally placed Mallett on injured reserve and will turn back to former starter Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Ryan Fitzpatrick to start for Texans, Latavius Murray returns to practice, and other NFL news
Elsewhere, the Bears place their starting center on injured reserve.
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Mallett started Houston's last two games, producing a combined 400 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. There was some question as to whether the team would give rookie fourth-round pick Tom Savage a look, but at 5-6 and still in playoff contention head coach Bill O'Brien decided to go with the veteran Fitzpatrick. The 32-year-old has completed 61.8 percent of his passes for 1,960 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight picks. With Mallett's roster spot now open, the team signed journeyman Thad Lewis as the new third-string quarterback.
Latavius Murray returns to practice
When the Oakland Raiders raced out to a 14-0 lead over the Kansas City Chiefs last Thursday, it was largely due to the efforts of second-year running back Latavius Murray. The Central Florida product scored the game's first touchdown via an 11-yard run less than six minutes into the first quarter. Oakland and Kansas City traded punts for the rest of the quarter before Murray busted out a 90-yard touchdown run up the middle early in the second.
Unfortunately, the tailback suffered a concussion soon thereafter, sidelining him for the rest of the game and putting his availability for the following week in doubt. It appears Murray has made significant progress, however, as Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune reports that he returned to practice Wednesday after being held out due to the league’s concussion protocol.
Though the Raiders have been eliminated from the postseason, there is still much on the line for the franchise. General manager Reggie McKenzie may need the team to show improvement over the final weeks of the season in order to avoid the axe, while interim head coach Tony Sparano is trying to win over the front office in Oakland (or others around the league). Having Murray on the field will go a long way towards helping the cause for both.
Bears place Brian de la Puente on IR
The Chicago Bears offense has been one of the league's most disappointing units. After finishing second in points a year ago, Chicago finds itself in the bottom half of the league in 2014. Head coach and play caller Marc Trestman has come under fire, as has quarterback Jay Cutler.
Though there's still time to turn around the offense, injuries threaten to derail any progress. Starting guard Matt Slauson suffered a torn pectoral in late October, forcing the team to reshuffle the line. Now another change is in the offing, as starting center Brian de la Puente will miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury according to the Chicago Tribune.
De la Puente hurt his ankle at some point during the team's Week 12 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, though it is unclear when exactly the injury occurred. Replacing him in the lineup will be Roberto Garza, the player de la Puente replaced at center earlier in the season.
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