Dalton Schultz is trending in the right direction for the Houston Texans heading into Sunday Night Football.
The veteran tight end returned to practice for the first time all week after dealing with an ankle injury following a 29-27 win against the Indianapolis Colts. Since he wasn’t listed on the injury report, he’s expected to play on Sunday against the Chicago Bears.
Schultz caught three passes for 16 yards at Lucas Oil Stadium and picked up two first downs.
Schultz’s return could be massive for the Texans across the middle against Chicago’s linebacking corps. He’s Hosuton’s most consistent tight end in space and was a security blanket for C.J. Stroud during his rookie season.
Dalton Schultz #Texans is practicing today @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/mg8rUFW7pJ
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 13, 2024
The former Dallas Cowboys star had 59 catches for 635 yards and five touchdowns last season. Houston rewarded him this offseason with a three-year extension.
While Schultz returned to practice, Juice Scruggs and Dameon Pierce went from limited to out. Scruggs, a 2023 second-round pick out of Penn State, is dealing with a groin injury, while Peirce is dealing with a hamstring injury.
Houston still feels confident in its backups should Pierce and Scruggs miss Sunday’s kickoff against the NFC North franchise. Running back Cam Akers, who was inactive last week on the road, was the preseason star. He totaled 112 yards on 24 attempts and a touchdown.
Houston Texans Dalton Schultz will play on Sunday Night Football pic.twitter.com/Wcg1HejOYf
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) September 14, 2024
Jarrett Patterson started seven games last season at center and left guard before suffering a season-ending leg injury. He’s battled Scruggs for first-team reps but mostly has played with the backups in practice.
The game will be nationally televised on NBC.
