Presumptive starting left tackle Matt Kalil has been held out of practice per coach’s discretion since Aug. 15, but it appears that keeping him away from practice was part of the Houston Texans’ plan.
According to coach Bill O’Brien, the Texans knew that Kalil was coming off of an injury sustained in 2018 and intended to limit his reps to get ready for Week 1 at the New Orleans Saints.
“We had a plan for him coming in to manage his reps to get him ready for the season and that’s what we’re trying to do,” O’Brien told reporters Thursday at Houston Methodist Training Center. “We’re trying to stick to that. He came off of a knee injury last year. He was signed in free agency and he came off of a knee injury from his year in Carolina, and we’re just trying to do a good job of managing him the best we can to get him ready for the season.”
Kalil played through the first two preseason games for the Panthers in 2018, though he had been battling knee soreness during training camp. After a knee scope, the Panthers placed the former 2012 first-round pick on injured reserve, ending his season before it could even begin.
When Carolina released Kalil in the offseason, the Texans signed him as a reclamation project to help retool their offensive line that was a part of allowing quarterback Deshaun Watson to sustain 62 sacks last year, the most in the NFL.
Though Kalil has seen Roderick Johnson take first-team reps in his absence, the former USC Trojan has helped out where he can.
“He’s been a great teammate, he’s done a really good job of learning the offense,” said O’Brien. “When he’s been in there he’s played very well. We’ve seen a lot of good things from him when he’s played and practiced.”
The Texans are hoping to see great things from him when the reps are for real on Sept. 9 in New Orleans. Until then, Kalil is following a plan the Texans had for him all along.
