The Sports Xchange

Houston Texans outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, who was in a walking boot on his right foot and ankle Friday as he limped through the locker room, is expected to play next week against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Clowney has a sprained right ankle, but Texans coach Bill O’Brien is optimistic that the injury is relatively minor for the top overall pick in last year’s draft.

“Looks like an ankle, but I just saw him just now before I walked in here, and he seemed to be doing well,” O’Brien said Friday. “I think you guys probably saw he had a boot on, but that’s just precautionary. He likes to go play pick-up hoop and things like that. Going to try to avoid doing that this weekend. At least I can make you guys still laugh a little bit.”

Clowney was limping during Thursday night’s 27-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts and got checked out by trainers. He wound up going back into the game. Clowney finished with two tackles, one for a loss, and a quarterback hit. He played 34 snaps for approximately 52 percent of the defensive snaps.

The 22-year-old Clowney returned this season after undergoing microfracture knee surgery last December. Clowney was on the injury report with shoulder and knee injuries before the Colts game and was listed as probable.