With the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft on the line this week in Tennessee, the Houston Texans could turn to a new starting quarterback.Â
Interim coach Wade Phillips would not rule out the possibility Monday of T.J. Yates taking the offensive reins if Case Keenum's right thumb isn't healthy enough to throw this week.
"We're going to look at all that and see what injuries are concerned," Phillips said, via the Houston Chronicle, when asked about Yates starting over Matt Schaub.
Schaub is coming off his second-lowest passer rating of a disappointing season which has seen him benched twice in favor of Keenum. Yates has been relegated to mop-up duty since tossing three interceptions in a playoff loss to the Ravens two seasons ago.
Here's what else we learned from Phillips' news conference:
» Jonathan Grimes is the only healthy running back on the Texans' roster. Arian Foster and Ben Tate have already been placed on injured reserve. Fill-in starter Dennis Johnson was forced from Sunday's game with a bruised hip, and backup Deji Karim suffered a broken collarbone.
» Cornerback Johnathan Joseph will undergo surgery to repair a torn toe ligament suffered in Sunday's game. The Texans will have a decision to make on his $7.5 million salary for 2014.
UPDATE: Phillips was asked Tuesday on whether or not Yates would be an option to start Sunday. "Not right now," the interim coach said, via the team's official website.
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