Report: Texans LB Heeney (ankle) out for season

Texans linebacker Ben Heeney will miss the entire 2018 season following ankle surgery, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reported on Wednesday. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Heeney was claimed by the Texans on waivers from the New Orleans Saints last October, and finished the season on injured reserve. Heeney, 26, was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round (140th overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft after being an All-Big 12 Conference linebacker at Kansas. After a solid rookie season, the Raiders placed him on the injured reserve list in 2016 and on the non-football injury list in 2017 before waiving him in September. The Saints signed Heeney to their practice squad a few weeks later and added him to the active roster on Sept. 27, but waived him the following week. Heeney was claimed on waivers by the Texans the next day and played eight snaps last season before being placed on injured reserve. He re-signed with Houston in March. In three NFL seasons, Heeney has played in 24 games and made 44 total tackles, including 2.5 sacks, and has forced one fumble. He played in 15 games for the Raiders in 2015, but has appeared in only nine since because of his injuries.