Left tackle Duane Brown had to leave practice early on Wednesday morning after suffering a lower leg bruise. Coach Gary Kubiak told reporters Wednesday afternoon that he doesn’t expect Brown to miss significant time.

“Yeah, we’re lucky,” Kubiak said. “Arian [Foster] kind of made a cut and he was engaged and [Brown] got kicked. It just scares you, but he’s fine. He’s got a bad bruise. He’s probably going to miss a couple days and we’ll be smart with him through the week. Oh boy, he’s an important piece of the puzzle.”

Kubiak said that Brown did “play a couple plays” after the injury, and that it was Kubiak who insisted that he get it checked out. Brown was taken for an x-ray, and he was relieved when it came back negative.

“I was pretty upset when it happened,” Brown told reporters. “I didn’t know what to expect, but after all the x-rays and everything, I’m very relieved."

After Brown's injury, Rashad Butler moved from right tackle to left tackle while Derek Newton worked with the first team at right tackle.

“You got to be careful too early in camp, starting to do that stuff because you get your reps all out of whack and you get wore down even more,” Kubiak said. “It’s the toughest week of training camp and probably of the season. We got three more days to push through to Saturday and really find the guts of our football team, so to speak. So we got to keep pushing.”

Quick Hits

  • Cornerback Brice McCain has been working with the first team as Kareem Jackson has been sidelined with a hamstring injury. McCain has picked up where he left off last year, when he played in all 18 games and had two interceptions. “He’s looked exceptional,” Kubiak said. “Brice found his confidence as a pro last year, and you can continue to see it.”
  • Kubiak gave an update on the wide receiver battle behind Kevin Walter. “Seems like right now they’re all in a position to make some plays and separate themselves, but nobody’s separating themselves,” Kubiak said. “They’re going to have to do it. I don’t want to sit down and throw a dart at the board and say, ‘I’m keeping this guy.’” Second year player Lestar Jean is battling rookies DeVier Posey and Keshawn Martin for that third wide receiver spot. 
  • After an impressive rookie season, outside linebacker Brooks Reed says he has improved. “I think technique-wise I’m a lot better,” Reed told reporters. “I know the defense, and there are still some subtle things that I have to get down but that just comes with more time and experience. I still have a lot more room for improvement.”
  • Kubiak still hopes to get Andre Johnson back next week. “I don’t know if that’s Monday, but he did run today with [Director of Sports Medicine/Head Athletic Trainer Geoff Kaplan] earlier in practice and he looked good,” Kubiak said. “I think we’re fine there. I know we’re going to be fine, but it’s just we want to get him back out there and get to work.” 

Follow Texans blogger Sean Bielawski on Twitter @CBSSportsNFLHOU.