What Led To Kirksey's Release From Texans?

The Houston Texans began shaping their 53-man roster Monday afternoon. And the first significant move came with the release of Christian Kirksey, per NFL Network.

Kirksey entered training camp as a lock to make the Texans' 53-man roster. But a few days into camp, the veteran linebacker sustained an injured hamstring. The injury forced Kirksey to miss nearly a month, which included all three preseason games. 

Coach DeMeco Ryans described cutdown day as "touchy" and said telling a player his dream is over in Houston will be hard. And one of the most complex situations will be departing from players who may not have had a fair chance to showcase their talents due to injuries.

With the release of Kirksey, the Texans saved $5.2 million in cap space.  

"Injuries set guys back," Ryans said. "It limits the amount of reps they’re able to get. It limits them from showing their true talent and what they could do, so injuries hurt a lot of guys during this process, so hopefully guys can bounce back and put good film out there."

Kirksey was the first but will not be the only player to lose his job following an injury. Third-year tight end Brevin Jordan missed the same amount of time as Kirksey. And given the arrival of tight ends Jordan Murray and Teagan Quitoriano, injuries could hamper Jordan's chances of making the final 53. 

Jordan, who the Texans drafted with the No. 147 pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, sustained a hamstring injury during camp.

"I always tell our guys, ‘It’s not about just making our team,'" Ryans said. "We want our guys able to make the NFL and that’s what it’s about – staying healthy, being available so you can showcase your talents not only to us here but also to the other 31 teams."

Kirksey, who joined the Texans in March 2021, was third on Houston's defense with 124 tackles last season. He also had seven tackles for loss and seven quarterback hits with three sacks and two interceptions while starting all 17 games as captain in 2022.