Greg Little will not play for the Texans in 2023. The former second-round pick sustained a back injury, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets, that led to Houston moving him to IR.
The Ole Miss alum is undergoing more tests, per Wilson, but this transaction will prevent him from playing for the Texans this season. Midway through the offseason, Houston signed Little to a one-year, $1.1MM deal that came with $100K guaranteed. The tests revealing Little will be able to return at some point during the season would open the door to an injury settlement that allows him to play elsewhere this season, but for now, the ex-Panthers and Dolphins blocker is out of the picture.
This marks another setback for Little, whom the Panthers drafted 37th overall in 2019. Starting six games in two seasons with Carolina, Little was unable to break through with the team that selected him and has not found his footing as a lineup regular to date. The Dolphins acquired Little for a seventh-round pick in 2021, but an injury kept him off the field that year. Little, 25, also finished the 2020 season on IR.
Besieged by injuries last season, Miami used Little as a seven-game starter. Little played a career-high 528 offensive snaps, making it through a full regular season without missing time. Pro Football Focus, however, graded Little as the league’s worst tackle regular in 2022.
The Texans were not planning to use Little as a starter, given the investments they have made at this position this year, but the team is a bit thin at tackle without him. Right tackle Tytus Howard suffered a broken hand and has undergone surgery. The recently extended blocker’s Week 1 availability is in doubt. Signed months after Little’s commitment, George Fant now stands to move into position opposite Laremy Tunsil up front.