The Houston Texans are getting some reinforcements this week as the team activated wide receiver Noah Brown from injured reserve ahead of its Week 6 game against the New Orleans Saints.
Brown has been on IR since Week 1, when he suffered a groin injury against the Baltimore Ravens. He opened the season as the Texans' starting slot receiver, playing 68% of the team's snaps and catching 3 of 4 targets for 20 yards before suffering the injury. In his absence, the Texans have leaned on Nico Collins, Robert Woods and rookie Tank Dell in their three-receiver sets.
After logging three practices this week, Brown will return to the lineup on Sunday.
"Yeah, he's out there working," Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said of Brown on Thursday, per the KPRC 2 report. "Noah, I think we said in camp, he was the most consistent player we had probably through all of camp, and I would say that carried over even this week. He's doing everything he can. He's working his tail off to get back."
Dell, meanwhile, may be in danger of missing the Week 6 game as he has yet to progress out of the concussion protocol after sustaining a head injury last week against the Texans.
"Yeah, it's tough," Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud said of Dell's injury. "I wish Tank was out there, man. He's definitely one of our best receivers. Great player, and me and him have a special, special future to come, but just like somebody goes down, next man up. Somebody else has got to be ready and I feel like we answered the bell when it came to that on Sunday, and now we've got to do it again."
If Dell is indeed out, it looks like Brown and second-year wideout John Metchie III will be the ones who are counted on for more snaps.