The Houston Texans have been without one of their starting safeties in their secondary for the past couple of weeks now.

Not just their versatile nickel, Jalen Pitre, but also starting strong safety Reed Blankenship as well, who's been deemed out since he went down with a concussion during the second quarter of Houston's Week 6 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

However, it was also revealed from the Texans' Week 7 injury report before facing the New York Giants that Blankenship was dealing with a hand injury–– one that wasn't exactly seen when the veteran safety went down against the Jaguars, but an issue that added to his troubles to get back on the field nonetheless.

And it seems like, leading up to the Texans' Week 8 game against the LA Chargers, we now know a bit more about the status of Blankenship.

What We Know About Reed Blankenship's Injury

According to Jonathan M. Alexander of The Houston Chronicle, Blankenship had surgery on his left hand "not long after" the Texans' win over the Jaguars in Week 6.

Alexander also notes that Blankenship is still in concussion protocol heading into the week against the Chargers, and will be a name to monitor as the week progresses.

Blankenship was one of the Texans' biggest offseason additions brought in several months ago one a three-year contract, and was expected to bring an added sense of stability within an already strong Houston secondary.

However, through the first seven games of the season, the Texans' secondary has taken a step back by pretty much all standards. Blankenship has gotten off to a slow start individually, and it certainly doesn't help for him to miss any time in Houston's lineup for any stretch either.

Through the five games that Blankenship has played for the Texans this season, he's collected 45 tackles, three passes defended, a tackle for loss, and managed to claim Houston's first interception of the season back in Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts.

We'll know more about Blankenship's status now and moving forward once the Texans are back practicing on Wednesday, and we get an injury report designating the veteran safety as a full, limited, or non-participant.

A concussion absence typically lasts around one to three weeks for most players around the league, but with Blankenship's newly discovered hand surgery, there's a chance that it takes more time for him to return as a starter on the back end of the Texans' defense.

For any time that Blankenship is set to remain out for the Texans' secondary, the name to keep an eye on will be veteran MJ Stewart, who returned from his lengthy absence due to a quad injury earlier this year, and was elevated to a starter last week against the Giants as a plug-and-play replacement.

The Texans will have three practices to take on this week before their Week 9 action against the LA Chargers hits this weekend, but if we don't see Blankenship on the field for any of them, don't expect to see him on the field come Sunday.