The A-Team w/ Wexler & Clanton

The A-Team w/ Wexler & Clanton

Adam Clanton & Adam Wexler are The A-Team! Talking all things Houston sports & more!Full Bio

 

Texans Training Camp Primer (offense) plus 53-man roster predictions

The most anticipated and most hyped season in Houston Texans history has arrived. Training camp for the Texans in year two of head coach DeMeco Ryans, quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson Jr,. begins Thursday in Houston. Time to get you ready for it.

First - the positional breakdowns and key battles.

QB: Stroud, Davis Mills, Case Keenum, Tim Boyle - it's the least interesting discussion and debate of any position group (other than the specialists). The only questions that even exist with the quarterbacks are will Keenum act as the third QB all season long at practice as he did a season ago and then if the team needs their backup on the field - will it be him - as it was a season ago? My guess is no. The other question is will the team have three quarterbacks in the room all season and if so, is it a young developmental type or why break up a good thing with the supportive trio of Stroud, Mills & Keenum.

Stroud deserves some love in this write-up. His spot among the NFL elite will be cemented with a strong sophomore campaign to backup his electric rookie season. He led the NFL in yards passing per game and in TD/INT ratio - anything close to those marks in 2024 and you can put down the Texans as back-to-back AFC South champs.

53-man roster prediction: Stroud, Mills, Keenum

AFC Divisional Playoffs - Houston Texans v Baltimore Ravens

Photo: Rob Carr / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images

RB: Joe Mixon, Dameon Pierce, Dare Ogunbowale, J.J. Taylor, Jawhar Jordan, British Brooks

This is Mixon's gig after the Texans traded for him and extended his contract. While they'd love to see Pierce regain his rookie season form, I don't think the team is certain that is on the horizon. Mixon heads into his 8th season and is still an excellent pass-catching threat out of the backfield, but he averaged just four yards per carry last season with the Bengals. That four yards per carry breaks down like this - 2.6 yards before contract (his highest in 5 seasons) and 1.4 yards after contact (his lowest in 5 seasons). He averaged 4.0 yards per carry matches his number over the last 5 seasons - which is the 5th lowest in the NFL among RBs with at least 500 carries. (By the way, in Pierce's 365 career carries, he's averaging just 3.7 yards per carry behind the Texans offensive line). There's clearly an opening here for someone to assist with Mixon's expected workload - just not sure if that no. 2 running back is on the roster currently. Jordan has a reasonable shot of making the roster, though Ogumbowale carries very special teams value.

53-man roster prediction: Mixon, Pierce, Ogunbowale, Jordan (or a veteran addition)

Houston Texans v Cincinnati Bengals

Photo: Dylan Buell / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images

WR: Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Stefon Diggs, Robert Woods, John Metchie III, Noah Brown, Xavier Hutchinson, Ben Skowronek, Steven Sims Jr., Jared Wayne, Johnny Johnson III, Quintez Cephus, Jadon Janke, Jaxon Janke

With the emergence of Collins, the introduction of Dell and the addition of Diggs, the Texans may just have the best trio of wideouts in the entire league. Seasons of 1,000 or more yards for all three is not out of the question and they should be a nightmare for defenses to handle. The competition behind those three should be fierce. Woods came in as a veteran a season ago, but saw his production drop significantly over the course of the season, with 6 receptions in the 1st games of the season, then just two games of more than 3 receptions the rest of the season. With so much veteran presence now in the group, it'd be a surprise for Woods (and his contract) to be with the Texans this season. Brown filled in tremendously well last season when injuries hit the group with a pair of monster midseason games, but he spent almost as much time injured as healthy, essentially missing nine of their 19 games. Metchie enters his third season with a real chance to show he can make plays behind the top three. Skowronek provides a big target (6'3", 225) and some positional flexibility in where the team can line him up - he has the same number of rushing touchdowns (1) as he does receiving touchdowns (1). Hutchinson enters his 2nd season needing to impress to secure a spot in this competitive group, while Sims scored the team's lone touchdown (on a punt return) in the playoff loss to the Ravens. Sims saw limited action during the season via elevation from the practice squad, but was only added to the active roster prior to the playoff game against Baltimore. Cephus is a somwhat surprising recent signing considering the depth of this group already and all others should get plenty of reps in camp & preseason games without any real shot of making the roster.

53-man roster prediction: Collins, Dell, Diggs, Metchie III, Brown, Skowronek, Hutchinson

Jacksonville Jaguars v Houston Texans

Photo: Logan Riely / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images

TE: Dalton Schultz, Brevin Jordan, Cade Stover, Teagan Quitoriano, Dalton Keene

Unless another veteran is brought in, and it wouldn't surprise if that happened, there is little competition in my opinion, but rather a clear one through five in the pecking order. The Texans made a big commitment this offseason to Schultz with a limited tight end market in free agency and the desire for some contnuity with Stroud and the offense. Jordan may be pushed by the rookie Stover, but if healthy Jordan showed that at least for one mroe season (the last of his rookie four-year contract), he can be the option behind or along with Schultz. Stover should be the biggest and strongest of the bunch, but will still have to show he can hold his own at the end of the line of scrimmage. He has an instant connection with Stroud from their Ohio State days together. Quitoriano heads into his third season after being drafted in the 5th round in the 2022 draft. He began his rookie season on IR and ended his second season on IR, seeing action in only 16 of 34 games in his two seasons. He was a non-participant during off season work this past summer. Keene has played 8 snaps the last three seasons while spending the majority of his time on the practice squad for the Texans (last season), Eagles and Patriots.

53-man roster prediction: Schultz, Jordan, Stover

AFC Wild Card Playoffs - Cleveland Browns v Houston Texans

Photo: Tim Warner / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images

OL: Laremy Tunsil, Tytus Howard, Shaq Mason, Kenyon Green, Juice Scruggs, Jarrett Patterson, Kendrick Green, Charlie Heck, Blake Fisher, David Sharpe, Jaylon Thomas, Dieter Eiselen, Nick Broeker, LaDarius Henderson

Three of the five spots on the offensive line are set - the starting tackles and the right guard. Tunsil (LT) and Howard (RT) return to their familiar spots, though both are coming off surgeries. Howard missed the beginning of last season with a hand injury, then seven games after his return he was lost for the season with the significant knee injury that required surgery. Tunsil had an arthroscopic procedure on his knee, both are expected to particpate in training camp and be ready to begin the season. Mason hasn't missed a game in either of the last 2 season (2022 with Tampa, 2023 with Houston) at right guard.

The rest of the interior is there to be claimed. Second year player Scruggs appears to have the edge at center over fellow second year player Patterson, though Patterson started the season at that spot due to Scruggs injury at the end of training camp and only lost the job when he was lost for the season to a leg injury. I think Patterson played well enough to make this a real even battle, but we shall see. It seems likely a Ken. Green will start at left guard, though the team could view Scruggs as an option there, too, if they feel the best five-player group includes both he and Patterson. BUt again, more than likely, it's time for Kenyon Green, a 1st round pick of the Texans in 2022, to take that position and make it his. He's had major injury issues in his brief career, but also did not play well during his rookie season. Kendrick Green was held out of the offseason on-field work, but after ending his season on injured reserve, he is ready to battle Kenyon for that starting spot.

Rookie Blake Fisher will make the team, but to be the swing tackle he will have to beat out Charlie Heck who is now in his fifth season with the team after he signed a one-year deal this offseason. Eiselen and Broeker both have a chance on the interior to play their way onto the roster. The team kept them around most of the season a year ago, without either seeing much game action. Henderson, a 7th round pick, seems destined for the practice squad with some hope for his future, while Sharpe and Thomas will likely play a lot this camp and preseason which would give them a chance to also beat out Heck at the swing tackle.

53-man roster prediction: Tunsil, Howard, Mason, Keny. Green, Scruggs, Patterson, Kend. Green, Heck, Fisher

Tennessee Titans v Houston Texans

Photo: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images

FB: Andrew Beck, Troy Hairston

Beck was one of four players in the NFL last season to return a kick for a touchdown and did so in spectacular fashion on the raod at Jacksonville. Remarklably he also scored four touchdowns on his career high 16 touches on offense (11 receptions, 5 carries). But Hairston, who was lost for the season with a knee injury in training camp last season, will be given the chacne to see if he can bring something to the offense to get the nod over Beck.

53-man roster prediction: Beck


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