Injuries along the offensive line may provide an opportunity for new Houston Texans guard Oday Aboushi to get into the lineup this week against the Tampa Buccaneers.
Per the Houston Chronicle, Aboushi, who joined the team last week, is under consideration for playing time this week, perhaps even as a starter. Aboushi would play left guard, allowing Derek Newton, who played the position last week to return to his normal spot at right tackle. Jeff Adams, who started at right tackle in the Week 2 loss to the Carolina Panthers, is out for the season after injuring his knee.
Aboushi, who started 10 games with the New York Jets in 2014, has been working to get up to speed with offensive line coach Mike Devlin, his position coach with the Jets last season.
“It’s similar terminology and that’s definitely helping a lot,” Aboushi said, per the Chronicle. “The guys here have been real great with helping me out, all the guys on the line rallying around me and helping me to play fast.”
“With the help I’m getting and the amount of work I’m putting in, I feel confident that this week could be an option. It’s a matter of the guys around me helping me get up to speed. I think it could definitely be an option.”
Houston head coach Bill O'Brien said he's been pleased with what he's seen from Aboushi thus far.
“It looks to me like Oday is doing a good job of picking it up,” O’Brien said. “He’s a bright guy, similar terminology was used in New York to what we use. He was coached by Mike Devlin before, so he has an idea that way. All those things come into account, but what we do during the week is we practice all those guys so that at the end of the week we can make a decision as to who will be up on the 46.”
A fifth-round pick in 2013, Aboushi was released by the Jets after serving a one-game suspension for a violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy in connection with a possession of marijuana charge in January in New Jersey. He said he's known for his aggression on the field.
“I try to be as physical as possible, that’s my thing,” Aboushi said. “Be physical and impose my will on people. I feed off the energy of the team and the offensive line. That’s how we like to establish my game.”
(h/t Houston Chronicle)
