Depth is everything in the NFL. Not only do you need to rotate players in and out throughout a game to manage fatigue and change up looks, but you also need depth because injuries happen.
That’s simply part of the game, especially in this league. Every single week, for almost every team, players go down.
Jaylin Smith’s recent move to injured reserve sent waves through the Texans' secondary. Even though he’s a rookie, he has already shown flashes of why he was drafted and has valuable upside. The team elevated a pair of veterans for Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the lack of depth still showed.
And to make matters worse, Derek Stingley Jr., Houston’s star corner, had to leave the game early with an injury of his own. Suddenly, not only are you missing your high-upside rookie, but you’re also without your best defensive back. At a position group that only has a handful of players on the field at once, that’s a major hit.
This is just one example of why depth is so critical, because it can vanish in a hurry. And when it does, you need others to step up. For many teams, that’s when unsung heroes emerge. But that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes injuries expose a lack of depth, and that was the case for Houston.
The cornerback injuries aren’t the only reason the Texans now sit at 0-3, but they were a big factor in why they lost on Sunday. If you’re going to be a contender in the NFL, you have to have real depth, because injuries are inevitable over a 17-game season. You can’t only rely on your starters — you need capable backups who can still keep the level of play respectable. Right now, the Texans' secondary is quickly reaching the point where they may have to consider looking for help elsewhere.