Texans designate Justin Britt for return

Britt has been out since Week 7 thanks to a handful of maladies, including a hyperextended knee. Between that and last year’s ACL tear, he’s played in just six regular season games since the end of the 2019 campaign.

The Texans signed Britt to a one-year, $5M deal earlier this year, installing him as their first-string center. Through six games, he’s earned a so-so overall grade of 61.4 from Pro Football Focus, positioning him as the No. 22 ranked middle man in the NFL. The hope is that he’ll come back stronger after a month of rest and replicate some of his early work with the Seahawks.

To date, Britt’s rookie season in 2014 (71.7 overall score) and 2016 (81.6) stand as his best, per PFF. That ’16 campaign slotted him as the seventh-best center in the league and propelled him to a three-year, ~$27M extension in 2017.

Without Britt, the Texans have used ex-Raiders practice squader Jimmy Morrissey as their starting center. If goes well for Britt this week, he could resume his starting role on Sunday against the Jets.