Noah Whittington isn't leaving the Houston Texans after all.
According to reports, the Texans plan to sign the rookie running back to their practice squad after waiving him during final roster cutdowns on Sunday. He will compete with fellow signee Jawhar Jordan for a chance to get called up on game days and contribute on special teams and as a third-down back.
Whittington, an undrafted free agent out of Oregon, was one of the standouts among Houston's rookie class in training camp. In drills, he demonstrated impressive vision and acceleration upfield while showing off the ability to win with speed at the second level.
Initially, it seemed as if Whittington was a lock to make the roster following a hot start, but after suffering an injury in the preseason loss against Las Vegas, he missed the final preseason week of practice and Friday's game against the Carolina Panthers. That likely played a role in the Texans' decision to cut him, knowing he'd pass through waivers so he could land on the practice squad.
After spending two seasons with Western Kentucky, Whittington spent his final four years of college with Oregon, where he consistently put up solid rushing numbers. In all, he finished his career with nearly 3,000 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns.
Going into the year on the 53-man roster, Houston will carry three running backs. Starter David Montgomery, last year's starter and current backup Woody Marks, were never in jeopardy of losing their jobs, and special teams standout British Brooks, who saw some action early last fall.
The Texans open the season at home on Sept. 13 against the Buffalo Bills.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans avoid losing UDFA RB Noah Whittington on waivers, re-signed to practice squad
