Texans Somehow Avoid Worst-Case Scenario After Braden Smith Goes Down

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The Houston Texans had plenty to feel good about after Wednesday's joint practice with the Carolina Panthers, but the mood quickly changed when Braden Smith went down with an injury.

Smith had to be carted off the field, and the immediate concern was understandable. Any time an offensive lineman leaves the practice field that way, particularly this close to the regular season, it raises fears about a potentially significant injury.

Fortunately for the Texans, the latest update brings some much-needed relief.

According to NFL Network and ESPN insider Ian Rapoport, Smith's injury is not considered major. Rapoport reported that the veteran offensive tackle suffered an injury to the plantar fascia in his foot but is not expected to miss much time, "A bit of an injury scare for Texans OT Braden Smith yesterday, but sources say it's not considered to be major,” Rapoport wrote. “He suffered an injury to his plantar fascia in his foot but isn't expected to miss much some. It's not nothing, but not long-term, either.”

That is about as positive of an update as Houston could have hoped to receive after seeing Smith carted off the field. The Texans are still dealing with an injury, and Smith's availability will need to be monitored in the coming weeks. Reports indicate he could miss some time, so Houston cannot simply pretend the situation never happened. Still, avoiding a long-term injury is the biggest takeaway here.

Smith was brought to Houston this offseason to provide experience and stability along the offensive line. He spent the first eight years of his NFL career with the Indianapolis Colts and brings plenty of starting experience to a group that has been under the microscope.

His status also carries importance because the Texans have been sorting out their situation at right tackle. Trent Brown has been competing with Smith for the starting job, and Smith missing time could affect how that competition ultimately plays out.

But the biggest concern on Wednesday was not the depth chart, it was whether the Texans had just lost an important offensive lineman for a significant stretch of the season. After watching Smith leave the field on a cart, that possibility felt very real.

Instead, Houston appears to have avoided the worst-case scenario. Smith may need time to recover, but the early expectation is that this will not become a long-term problem. Considering how concerning the scene looked initially, that qualifies as very good news for the Texans.

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