The Houston Texans’ edge rusher depth took a hit when it was announced Friday second-year outside linebacker Duke Ejiorfor had torn his Achilles during offseason workouts.
The former 2018 sixth-round pick from Wake Forest recorded 1.0 sack, nine combined tackles, and a fumble recovery in his 12 games last season. With starting outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus entering the final year of his contract, 2019 was going to be a season where the club could evaluate whether or not Ejiofor was the rightful and affordable successor to Mercilus.
“It’s been unlucky,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said Friday after day one of rookie minicamp. “Duke’s a great guy and he just has had some bad luck. He’ll be back, though. He’ll be back at some point and he’ll have a chance to be a good pro football player.”
Ejiofor was also a nearby Alief Taylor product, which made his playing for the hometown Texans even more special.
“He’s a good guy, he can do a lot of different things, he’s a versatile player,” said O’Brien. “It’s just one of those things. It’s tough. It was a fluky thing. It’s just bad luck really, to be honest with you.”
With Ejiofor out for the year, it is an opportunity for fifth-round rookie edge rusher Charles Omenihu and undrafted outside linebackers Jessie Aniebonam and Jamal Davis to make an impact.
