NFL news: Around the league in 32 plays

His latest concussion has Brian Hoyer thinking about his future. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Texans:  Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer will be out this week following another concussion.  Hoyer has openly admitted that this most recent concussion is causing him to question whether or not he will return to football after this year.  The injury to Hoyer all but locks up the Texans as a contender for a top quarterback in 2016.  Owner Bob McNair has already stated it is a priority.  McNair also stated that head coach Bill O’Brien is not on the hot seat, and will likely return next season.  The return of O’Brien, plus the obvious hole at quarterback, has heated up the speculation that the Texans will be drafting Penn St quarterback Christian Hackenberg, who played for O’Brien in his freshman year.

Indianapolis Colts:  The Colts will be turning to Charlie Whitehurst as their starting quarterback this week as Andrew Luck is still out and Matt Hasselbeck has joined him on the sidelines with a rib cage injury.  Both quarterbacks practiced in a limited capacity this week, but neither will play.  Adding to that mess is the loss of the only significant offensive line addition the team made in the offseason as they cut veteran guard Todd Herremans.  The Colts added former Chiefs linebacker Andy Studebaker to help with their special teams.

• Chiefs’ take: Todd Herremans is an interesting name for Chiefs fans to keep an eye on.  KC still has to be somewhat worried about their offensive line depth, and Herremans is very familiar with Andy Reid’s offense from their long time together in Philly.  Andy Studebaker seems to be making a name for himself as a journeyman special teams guy.  It’s not flashy, but it’ll pay the bills.

Jacksonville Jaguars:  The Jaguars playoff hopes have taken a hit as running back TJ Yeldon is dealing with a sprained MCL.  This comes on the heels of the team losing running back Toby Gerhart.

Every Chiefs fan took a page out of Houston’s book when news came out about his trip to see Dr Andrews. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas City Chiefs:  The Chiefs seem to have avoided a scare with star linebacker Justin Houston.  Houston visited the noted surgeon, Dr. James Andrews, to get a second opinion on his knee.  This sparked a lot of speculation, including that Houston may miss the rest of the regular season.  However, reports now state that Houston’s original diagnosis is confirmed and that the swelling is going down.  The Chiefs also made their first move for 2016 by signing offensive lineman Jah Reid to a three year extension.  Based on his performance and the contract, Reid is likely to be in the running for the starting right tackle spot.  In other personnel moves, the Chiefs have finally moved on from safety Sanders Commings whose career has been defined by constant injuries.  The team also chose to not activate quarterback Tyler Bray, which means he reverts back to the Non-Football Injury List.  The Chiefs also hosted tryouts for a number of players, none of whom were signed.

• Chiefs’ notes: It’s important to note that by going back on the NFI list, Tyler Bray does not accrue a season towards unrestricted free agent status, meaning the Chiefs will hold his rights an extra year if they choose.  The tryouts were likely a precursor to John Dorsey offering futures contracts to players who will be invited to Training Camp in 2016.

New England Patriots: The Patriots injury problems are continuing as defensive back Devin McCourty is dealing with a high ankle sprain while running back LeGarrette Blount is done for the year with a hip injury.  To help bolster the offense, the Patriots have turned to former Falcons wide receiver Leonard Hankerson and veteran running back Montee Ball.  However, Ball has apparently reported to the team significantly overweight.

Next: Chiefs camp favorite gets his shot