Sources: Texans starting center Juice Scruggs slated to miss Bears game with groin injury, Jarrett Patterson to start

HOUSTON – Texans starting center Juice Scruggs is not slated to play against the Chicago Bears due to a groin injury, according to league sources.

Although Scruggs’ injury isn’t regarded as serious or long-term, the Texans are taking precautions and holding him out of a Sunday night game days after he got hurt in practice.

Backup center Jarret Patterson, who started as a rookie last season, is Scruggs’ replacement.

Patterson has been taking the first-team snaps the past two days of practice.

Backup running back Dameon Pierce, regarded as a question mark heading into this game, was officially ruled out due a strained hamstring. Cam Akers, who excelled in the preseason in his comeback from a pair of torn Achilles tendons, stepped in as the primary backup to Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon.

Texans safety M.J. Stewart remains sidelined with a knee-quadriceps injury and will miss the Bears game, his second week in a row he’s out.

The Texans’ other inactives were linebacker Jamal Hill, wide receiver John Metchie III and defensive end Rashad Weaver.

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com