Houston Texans 53-Man Roster Prediction, Version 2.0
Sean Pendergast | August 13, 2018 | 5:00am
The Texans' annual trip to the Greenbrier is over, and one preseason game and one practice back in Houston are also in the books, so now we have some data off which to work in predicting who exactly makes this Texans team out of training camp.
Evaluating some positions is easier than evaluating others, given the scarce amount of time the Texans have spent in pads. Skill guys, whose position drills and 11-on-11 participation aren't really predicated on contact, are a little easier to evaluate with a layman's eye, so far. Offensive lineman and defensive lineman have had far less "live action" that simulates their real jobs. In fact, I asked head coach Bill O'Brien about that process evaluating the guys in the trenches on Saturday, and here was his answer:
“That’s a great question. I think the big thing in these practices is, obviously, assignments. Let’s make sure they know up front with the shells on, let’s make sure they know what the call is, who’s setting with them, who’s helping them, who are they combo-ing with, all of those different things. Then you’re looking for technique. You can really evaluate technique in these practices, especially coming back to Houston. A little bit hotter than The Greenbrier. How many guys are able to mentally, on every single play, be able to use the proper technique and do it down in and down out on a practice like this. So, there’s a lot to evaluate there, but it’s definitely different than if they had pads on.”
Things should amp up this week, with the 49ers coming to town for a couple days of inter-squad practices, and then the second game of the preseason on Saturday at NRG Stadium. For now, let's go off of what we have, and put together a 53-man roster. Here we go...
THE VETERAN and DRAFT PICK LOCKS
QUARTERBACK (3): Deshaun Watson, Brandon Weeden, Joe Webb
I'm making this call earlier than I thought I might, but I feel it's a certainty that, barring injury, Weeden will be the backup and Webb will be the third quarterback, while minoring in special teams and maybe a trick play or two. Both backups looked solid in the win over the Chiefs last Thursday. The fourth QB in camp, Stephen Morris, may as well be a JUGS machine at this point.
RUNNING BACK (2): Lamar Miller, D'Onta Foreman
I'm still forecasting Foreman to be on the 53-man roster and not the PUP to start the season, but that may change on the third version of the roster prediction next week. Miller has dropped weight and looks sleeker than his first two seasons. It was good to see him bust off a 19-yard run in that Chiefs game.
WIDE RECEIVER (4): DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller, Keke Coutee, Bruce Ellington
Same group as the first version of the 53-man roster. Coutee has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, which is disappointing, and that's given other guys a chance to step into the breach at slot receiver. More on that in a minute....
TIGHT END (3): Ryan Griffin, Jordan Akins, Jordan Thomas
O'Brien says that tight end is the second hardest position to learn in his offense, behind quarterback. Interesting how prominently two rookies will figure into that position group.
OFFENSIVE LINE (7): Zach Fulton, Senio Kelemete, Nick Martin, Julien Davenport, Seantrel Henderson, Greg Mancz, Martinas Rankin
Like Foreman, if Rankin is still languishing with that foot injury in a week or two, the calculus changes on Version 3.0 of this prediction.
THE REST OF THE STORY