The Houston Texans will have an extended training camp throughout the month of August. Bubble players won’t have the benefit of preseason games to make their cases. Instead, they will need strong showings in practice to prove their worth to coach and general manager Bill O’Brien.
Here are seven Texans who need to have strong camps.
1. WR Keke Coutee
The Texans aren’t trading Kenny Stills; he isn’t the odd man out with Brandin Cooks and Randall Cobb coming to town. Coutee is the receiver whose job is in jeopardy.
The former 2018 fifth-round pick had a promising rookie season, but injuries and landing in Bill O’Brien’s doghouse last year derailed his second year. There wouldn’t be new receivers in Houston right now if O’Brien thought Coutee was dependable.
2. CB Vernon Hargreaves
It is an extremely crowded cornerback group for the Texans. Hargreaves initially was cut by the Texans in the offseason, but they brought him back on a one-year deal. However, he will be going against Bradley Roby, Gareon Conley, Lonnie Johnson, Phillip Gaines, Keion Crossen, and rookie John Reid for playing time. That doesn’t even factor in Cornell Armstrong.
If Hargreaves suffers an availability issues, it could give his competition just enough reps to play him off the roster by the end of training camp.
3. RB Karan Higdon
Higdon is a position where if he has a strong camp, he could take Buddy Howell’s place as the third running back on the roster. But if Higdon has a poor camp, undrafted rookie Scottie Phillips could play him off the roster.
The former 2019 undrafted free agent’s best bet is to shoot for the opening left by Taiwan Jones, whose primary job was to play special teams. If Higdon can sufficiently claim Jones’ old job, then he should be safe.
4. TE Jordan Thomas
It appeared that Thomas was going to be Deshaun Watson’s big-bodied target after 2018 when the sixth-round rookie caught 20 passes for 215 yards and four touchdowns, all in the red zone. However, a rib injury in preseason landed him on injured reserve, and veteran Darren Fells excelled in his spot with seven touchdown catches, tying DeAndre Hopkins for the most on the team.
Thomas’ job was already in danger when they drafted Kahale Warring in the third round last year. The Texans still have undrafted free agent Dylan Stapleton on the roster and are kicking the tires on free agent veterans. The former Mississippi State Bulldog has to prove he can build upon his success from 2018.
5. OLB Duke Ejiofor
The Alief Taylor High School product is coming off of a season that never was. Prior to the Texans’ offseason workouts kicking off, Ejiofor tore his Achilles and was done for the year. With the Texans drafting outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard, trading for Jacob Martin, and signing an undrafted free agent in Jamir Jones, there is competition at edge defender.
Ejiofor produced nine tackles, 1.0 sack, two pass breakups, and a fumble recovery in his 12 games as a rookie. If Ejiofor can prove he is healthy and can elevate that output, he should find a place in new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver’s scheme.
6. ILB Tyrell Adams
The Texans have signed Jan Johnson, an undrafted rookie from Notre Dame, to play inside linebacker, same as Adams. The former Oakland Raider started in two of his five games for Houston last year, collecting 13 tackles and forcing a fumble.
If Adams can prove to the coaching staff that he is capable of being a solid starter at inside linebacker, not only would it keep Johnson off his heels, but it would give the Texans confidence to start listening again to offers for Benardrick McKinney.
7. S A.J. Moore
The Texans used the first wave of free agency to bring in safeties Eric Murray, Jaylen Watkins, and later signed Michael Thomas. All that does is put pressure on Moore throughout training camp.
The former Ole Miss product has played all 32 games of his two-year Texans tenure. Moore collected 14 tackles, including a tackle for loss, in 2019.
