- No quarterback’s taken more sacks than Deshaun Watson (25), and the Texans will be without one of their top blockers on Sunday. Zach Fulton is out for Week 7’s Houston-Jacksonville game. The fifth-year guard is dealing with an ankle injury.
With his cancer in remission, Andre Hal was cleared to practice this week. There’s a decent chance the Texans safety will make his season debut on Sunday.
The Texans announced they’ve activated Hal from the reserve/non-football illness list in advance of their Week 7 game against the Jaguars. The team had three weeks to activate Hal after he returned to practice on Wednesday. Being activated three days into a three-week window represents another conquest for a safety that’s overcome plenty this year.
Hal was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in June. By late September, the cancer was in remission. This is a remarkable recovery for the 26-year-old safety, who had already beaten long odds in his career by emerging as a regular starter from a seventh-round draft position.
Hal started 38 games for the Texans over the past three seasons, including all 16 last season. He may not return to a starting role immediately, but with Tyrann Mathieu and converted cornerback Kareem Jackson in place at safety, Houston could soon be deep on its defensive back line.
The Texans made room on their roster by waiving edge defender Daeshon Hall, Mark Berman of Fox 26 tweets.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: OL Kyle Friend
- Released: OL Will House
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Jermaine Grace
- Released: LB Richie Brown
Houston Texans
- Released: DB Robert Jackson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: G Zack Golditch
- Released: G Sean Harlow
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Brandon Thomas
- Released: OL Michael Dunn
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LB Travin Howard
- Released: DB Linden Stephens
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DL DeShawn Williams
New York Giants
- Released: WR Kalif Raymond
New York Jets
- Signed: RB De’Angelo Henderson
- Placed on injured list: LB Harvey Langi
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: LB Kyle Wilson
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account:
Cleveland Browns
- WRs John Diarse, Shay Fields, Tavarres King; FB Dimitri Flowers; C Luke Bowanko; T Gerhard de Beer (link)
Green Bay Packers
- FB Dan Vitale; TE Clive Walford; DT Vincent Valentine; Ss Ibraheim Campbell, Eddie Pleasant (link)
Houston Texans
- RB Ralph Webb; LB Marquis Flowers; CB Horace Richardson (link)
Indianapolis Colts
- RB Devante Mays; WR Tre McBride; G Zack Golditch; DE Anthony Lanier; LB Gimel President; S J.J. Wilcox (link)
New England Patriots
- DE Tank Carradine; LBs Corey Nelson, Tegray Scales; S A.J. Howard (link)
New York Giants
- QB Joe Callahan; WR Austin Proehl; DE Myles Humphrey (link)
Washington Redskins
- CBs Donatello Brown, Tony Lippett; Raysean Pringle, Henre’ Toliver, Marquez White (link)
Andre Hal‘s Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is in remission, and the safety is ready to get back to work. On Wednesday, Texans coach Bill O’Brien announced that Hal has been cleared to practice. 
The Texans have activated the three-week window to add Hal to the 53-man roster. It’s a remarkable step forward for a player who was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness just five months ago.
“My faith in God and the support from my family, friends, teammates and coaches will see me through this difficult time,” Hal said in June. “I will not let this diagnosis stop me from fulfilling my dreams and I do not want anyone to feel sorry for me. I know how to beat this and I will beat it.”
Hal, 26, has been with the Texans since entering the league as a seventh-round pick in 2014. Eventually, he cracked the starting lineup and was rewarded with a three-year, $15MM extension prior to the 2017 season. Last year, Hal started in all 16 games for Houston and set a new career high in total tackles (71) while notching three interceptions.
It seems unlikely that Hal will be ready to go against the Jaguars on Sunday, and the Texans may not want him to debut four days later against the Dolphins. Realistically, the Texans’ Nov. 4 date against the Broncos could be a logical time for Hal to make his return, but that will largely depend on his health and conditioning.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OL Jake Eldrenkamp, WR Blake Jackson
Green Bay Packers
- Cut: WR DeAngelo Yancey
Houston Texans
- Signed: RB Josh Ferguson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR K.J. Brent
- Cut: QB Phillip Walker
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: CB Craig James
- Cut: CB Jalen Myrick
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Chris Campbell, WR Shane Wynn
- Cut: DB Darius Hillary, WR Tanner McEvoy
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Kalif Raymond, DE Myles Humphrey
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: LB B.J. Bello, DT Winston Craig
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Keenan Reynolds
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: OL Ruben Holcomb, CB David Rivers
- Cut: OT Jarron Jones, RB Dare Ogunbowale
Today’s workout updates:
Cleveland Browns
- LB Manase Hungalu (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
Houston Texans
- RB Josh Ferguson, OT Corey Robinson (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of SiriusXM)
Los Angeles Chargers
- K Roberto Aguayo, K Daniel Carlson (Twitter link via Howard Balzer)
New York Jets
- WR Rashad Greene (Twitter link via Howard Balzer)
- Stationed on the Texans‘ PUP list, D’Onta Foreman can return to practice this week but probably won’t, per Bill O’Brien (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, on Twitter). Foreman’s been out since late last season because of an Achilles’ tendon tear.
- Former Lions, Patriots and Bengals linebacker Marquis Flowers worked out for the Texans on Monday, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com tweets. The Lions cut Flowers last week. He played in 16 games for the Bengals in 2015 and ’16 and suited up for all 19 of the Patriots’ games last year.
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Chicago Bears
- P Brock Miller (link)
Houston Texans
- OT Dieugot Joseph (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- OT Corey Robinson; RB Thomas Rawls (link)
New England Patriots
- DE Will Clarke; QB Connor Cook; LB Kasim Edebali; WR Devin Ross; TE Shane Wimann (link)
Tennessee Titans
- LS’s Andrew East, Taybor Pepper (link)
Overall, nothing too noteworthy. The Patriots interestingly continue to work out quarterbacks, bringing in former Raiders third-rounder Connor Cook for a tryout. New England has Bryan Hoyer firmly entrenched behind Tom Brady, but also recently worked out Landry Jones.
Meanwhile, the Titans seem set to bring in a new long snapper, as the team also worked out veteran Jon Condo today.
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Cincinnati Bengals
- RB Ralph Webb; Ss Quin Blanding, Chris Cooper (link)
Cleveland Browns
Houston Texans
- TEs Kyle Carter, Will Tye; Ts Tyreek Burwell, Rick Leonard (Twitter links)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- RB Bo Scarbrough (link)
Kansas City Chiefs
- TEs Braedon Bowman, Kyle Carter, Pharoah McKever (link)
Miami Dolphins
- WRs Reggie Davis, Amba Etta-Tawo (link)