Houston Texans Young Pass Catcher Lands on IR

The Houston Texans announced on Tuesday that rookie tight end Cade Stover was placed on the injury reserve for an undisclosed reason following the team's Wild Card victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.

The former fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft saw some playing time in his first season with the Texans. The 24-year-old caught 15 passes for 133 yards and one touchdown this season, but had a career-high four catches for the 28 yards in Saturday's contest.

With Houston suffering multiple season-ending injuries this season in the pass catching department, Stover began to expand his role in the offense alongside veteran tight end Dalton Schultz. Over half of the young talent's production came within his last six games.

Houston's third-string tight end, Irv Smith Jr, will likely take over for Stover in the team's upcoming matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. The former Alabama standout was recently signed from the practice squad, which could lead to a larger role for the rest of the Texans' playoff run. Smith Jr. has recorded 109 receptions for 973 yards in his four years in the NFL.

In addition to Stover being placed on the injury reserved, the Texans also released veteran wideout Diontae Johnson after two games. Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and star quarterback CJ Stroud will now have to rely on the team's star wideout, Nico Collins. He is coming off an incredible performance against the Chargers, as the fourth-year veteran finished with seven catches for 122 yards and one touchdown.