The season has not even started yet and the Houston Texans have already taken some hits at wide receiver.
Jayden Higgins is out for the year, with Jaylin Noel having just returned to training camp after a finger injury that was followed by a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Tank Dell is also still in the process of recovering from his devastating leg injury in 2024.
While Noel is still working through his injuries, head coach DeMeco Ryans said he has done a good job bouncing back during training camp so far and he is expected to be ready for the season opener against the Buffalo Bills .
"Jaylin's done a good job of bouncing back, getting back into the swing of things, just continuing to get reps to build up his stamina to get out there," Ryans said. "He's done a great job of progressing on the side, and he's looked fine as he's been out there with the team during the team reps."
As a rookie last year, Noel played a limited role in the offense even though he played in every single game. He finished the season with 292 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. Noel did make his mark on special teams as a kick returner and punt returner; in fact, he returned the second-most punts of any player in the NFL last season.
Even with Noel coming back, the Texans decided they needed to bolster their wide receiver room following Higgins' injury, leading them to trade for wide receiver Kayshon Boutte from the New England Patriots. With star receiver Nico Collins, Boutte, and Noel, Houston has a good cast of starting receivers heading into their season opener.
The Texans close out the preseason against the Carolina Panthers on Friday at Bank of America Stadium.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans HC DeMeco Ryans says WR Jaylin Noel has "done good job of bouncing back" from injuries ahead of preseason finale
