The Houston Texans have two quarterbacks on the roster in Deshaun Watson and A.J. McCarron. As it relates to the regular season, that is all the club truly needs to function on a weekly basis.
However, the Texans started out training camp with four quarterbacks on the roster. Over the course of camp, they released undrafted free agent Nick Tiano and recently let go of Alex McGough, who was the team’s emergency quarterback last season.
If the Texans seek to bring in a third quarterback, coach and general manager Bill O’Brien is looking for a player that can practice at a high level.
“I think the key to any backup quarterback, whether it’s a two or a three, is when they go into practice the practice is still able to function at a good level,” O’Brien said. “I think that’s the key.”
According to O’Brien, more important than skillset, is the ability of the backup quarterback to come into practice and the sessions not “fall off a cliff” and the practices remain productive.
“To me that’s always the mark of a good backup quarterback, and that’s how we’ll always continue to try to find guys that can do that,” said O’Brien.
A third quarterback spot is sometimes seen as developmental, although that hasn’t always been the case in the O’Brien era. In 2018, the Texans kept three quarterbacks on the roster with Brandon Weeden as Watson’s backup and Joe Webb as the third. However, Webb played special teams and could fill in as an emergency wide receiver if needed.
The Texans are looking for a quarterback who can fit into the quarterback room with Watson, McCarron, offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, and assistant quarterbacks coach T.J. Yates.
Said O’Brien: “I think it’s more about, hey, does this guy have the capacity to learn, does he understand his role, is he a good guy, will he fit into the quarterback room well.”
The Texans could bring back McGough in the role of third quarterback, and it will be a discussion that the club will have as Sept. 5, the deadline for teams to submit a 53-man roster, nears.
