Packers, Texans make practice squad call up ahead of Week 7 matchup

The Green Bay Packers have elevated fullback Andrew Beck to the gameday roster this week, which means that Beck will be playing his former team — the Houston Texans — on Sunday. After playing the majority of his career with the Denver Broncos, Beck spent the 2023 season with Houston, where he played in 15 games and made 12 starts.

The Texans are banged up in the box going into their matchup. Both of their starting linebackers have already been ruled out for the game and there are major question marks at the defensive tackle position for the team as Denico Autry comes off suspension, Mario Edwards Jr. is now on suspension and Folorunso Fakutasi is questionable with a shoulder injury. Green Bay, clearly, will want to run the ball early and often against Houston.

Beck should help the Packers as a blocker, playing a hybrid tight end/fullback role. With Luke Musgrave on the injured reserve, Green Bay has had to backfill their non-Tucker Kraft snaps at tight end in recent weeks with both Beck and Ben Sims. The Packers also added John FitzPatrick to their 53-man roster last week via the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad. Because of how quick the turnaround was, FitzPatrick was inactive versus the Arizona Cardinals, but he is expected to be available for Green Bay on Sunday.

The lack of an elevation of a defensive tackle is a positive sign that Colby Wooden (questionable) will play tomorrow, too. With Devonte Wyatt already ruled out, missing Wooden would only leave the Packers with three defensive tackles in this game: Kenny Clark, T.J. Slaton and Karl Brooks.

Houston, meanwhile, activated slot defender/returner Desmond King from its practice squad today. The Texans have already ruled out receiver Steve Sims Jr. and Robert Woods, two returner options for the team, and Houston is also out two starting defensive backs in Kamari Lassiter and Jimmie Ward, which could push Texans nickleback Jalen Pitre into a true safety role.

King has experience as both a kick returner and a punt returner. He’s taken two punts for touchdowns, though, they came all the way back in 2018-2019.