Houston Texans Should Sign Veteran DT After Denico Autry Suspension

The Houston Texans are in need of some help on the defensive line.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 31, 2024

Dec 10, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos defensive linesmen Mike Purcell (98) during pregame in a game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yannick Peterhans-USA TODAY Sports / Yannick Peterhans-USA TODAY Sports

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Houston Texans

The Houston Texans will have a hole in their defensive line for the first part of the season after Denico Autry was suspended six games by the NFL for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy.

With Autry gone, the Texans may need a short-term replacement to help fill the void and add depth on the defensive line.

Bleacher Report suggests that the Texans should sign former Denver Broncos defensive tackle Mike Purcell.

"The Texans got thrown their first curveball of the season with Denico Autry getting suspended for six games due to violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy. That's going to leave them with a need to find some help on the interior. Mike Purcell isn't a perfect replacement. Autry offers more flexibility to line up outside. But the 6'3", 304-pounder is one of the best defensive tackles available," Bleacher Report writes.

Purcell, 33, has played for the Broncos for the past five years, and started 10 games for them last season.

While Purcell could help the Texans, the team still has a decent amount of depth behind Autry. Mario Edwards Jr., Kurt Hinish, Khalil Davis and Tim Settle Jr. are expected to fill the gap left by Autry, but it may not hurt to add another body in camp just to weigh out every option.

Autry will be out for the first six games, so Purcell wouldn't exactly be a long-term replacement, but adding another veteran can't hurt the Texans.

Stick with TexansGameday for more coverage of the Houston Texans throughout training camp.

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You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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Published Jul 31, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.