Who Should I Start? Jawhar Jordan or Rasheen Ali

Tuesday, September 3, 7:46 PM

The Houston Texans reached injury settlements with rookie running back Jawhar Jordan (oblique) and defensive tackle Pheldarius Payne (hamstring) on Tuesday, waiving them from Injured Reserve. Jordan was taken in the sixth round this past April out of Louisville by the Texans, but he won't make his NFL debut in Houston. The 25-year-old will need to prove his healthy before potentially joining another organization, most likely on the practice squad. Jordan lacks size and physicality, but he could eventually develop into a third-down back somewhere if he can stay healthy because of his vision on the field and his blocking skills in pass protection. Payne, 24, is expected to join the team's practice squad after reaching an injury settlement. He suffered his hamstring injury in the team's preseason finale.

Thursday, September 5, 10:48 PM

The Baltimore Ravens on Thursday placed rookie running back Rasheen Ali (neck) on Injured Reserve and signed linebacker Josh Ross to the active 53-man roster in a corresponding move. The Ravens also activated defensive back Ka'dar Hollman and running back John Kelly from the practice squad for Thursday night's season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. Ali, who was looking overmatched in training camp and the preseason, will now be forced to miss at least the first four games of his rookie campaign in the NFL. Kelly will provide depth for the Baltimore backfield in the season opener behind Derrick Henry and Justice Hill. the 23-year-old speedy Ali might be in for more of a developmental redshirt year with the Ravens in his first season after getting off to a tough start both performance-wise and due to his injury.