We’ve made it. The light at the end of the tunnel has been reached. It’s football time once again. We’ll have to wait a few more weeks for meaningful football, but don’t tel that to the players vying for a spot on one of the most competitive rosters in the league. The Houston Texans are taking on the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday at 7pm CST in the first preseason game of the season.
Most of the notable starters will sit out this game, a move rooted in simple caution and the reality that preseason
reps offer little value for established players. The focus shifts to depth pieces and roster hopefuls who actually need these snaps. That opens up reps for players across the roster who have the most to prove from a dominant performance tomorrow.
Below are the ten Texans to keep track of that have the most to gain:
Jaylin Smith, CB #22
Smith enters his second year in Houston after an injury-riddled rookie campaign. The cornerback shows promise at camp and receives accolades from the starting cornerbacks. He should be the first backup cornerback, a position that was surely missed last season when Kamari Lassiter went down, He is slated to play a ton of reps this preseason with Lassiter and Derek Stingley Jr. likely playing a limited role. For Thursday, he needs to excel against backups and prove why the Texans selected him in the third round last year.
Lewis Bond, WR #82
Let’s see if the hype is real with Bond. From the moment he entered rookie minicamp the receiver from Boston College has been hailed for being a savvy route running and well adjusted to the NFL playbook. Can he separate from NFL-quality defensive backs? As a primarily slot receiver, his role will be interesting to watch develop given the Texans will run more two tight end sets rather than three WR sets.
Jared Wayne, WR #89
Wayne has been one of the most highly regarded players this training camp. Sitting on the outside looking in, his job is to make the staff’s decision at wide receiver as difficult as possible. He needs to force a conversation about keeping a sixth or even seventh option. His versatility helps that cause, since he can line up at every receiver spot and brings true long speed to the field.
Marte Mapu, LB #14
Through no action of his own, Mapu has moved from the edge of the roster into a backup role. Injuries to Jake Hansen and E J Speed thinned this group fast and pushed Mapu into the spotlight for this preseason game. His main goal is proving he can handle the defense as the backup WILL lineback. Even if these expected to start this preseason game, he still needs separate himself from rookies Wade Woodaz and Aiden Fisher on the depth chart. If all things are equal, the team will choose to keep rookies every time.
Cade Stover, TE #8
Stover leapfrogged TE Brevin Jordan during the first week of training camp. Jordan is also sidelined with a short-term injury, which offers Stover a unique opportunity to separate himself from Jordan on the depth chart. With veterans Dalton Schultz and Foster Moreau likely not participating in the preseason game, Stover will have the opportunity to run with the first string offense. Both the run game and pass game need to run through Stover in this preseason game.
Jawhar Jordan, RB #25
Jordan may not be healthy enough to play this preseason game, which makes his presence all the more necessary. The breakout performance against Arizona last year, where he ran for 101 yards, cannot be a one-hit-wonder. He needs steadier production for the staff to trust him as part of the RB rotation rather than viewing him as only a special team option.
If he can play, Jordan should receive the lion’s share of the carries in the first half before the UDFAs rotate in. His biggest completion is from Noah Whittington, whose downhill running style fits what the Texans are looking for. Jordan’s acceleration and short area quickness have shown up throughout camp, but he needs a strong preseason to fend off challengers for the RB3 role.
Febechi Nwaiwu, OG/OC #64
Very, very little has been said about the rookie from Oklahoma since he joined the team. That’s never a great thing, but at least he’s healthy and participating (couldn’t say the same about Kenyon Green his rookie year).
It will be interesting to see where he plays along the offensive line. Currently, he’s slated to be on the roster solely due to being drafted in the fourth round. Is there more to his game than what the Texans are letting on? We’ll find out on Thursday.
Collin Wright, CB #37
The undrafted rookie from Stanford receives more praise and makes more plays than 2/3 of the draft class. The Missouri City product had an interception on Graham Mertz early in training camp and is vying for the last CB spot. The 6-foot corner fits well into Houston’s scheme and is competing directly with second-year UDFA Alijah Huzzie and veteran Tremon Smith.
Dominique Robinson, DE #94
Jadeveon Clowney was signed because the coaches weren’t seeing enough out of the defensive end depth. That “depth” has a name and its Dominique Robinson. The long and athletic DE played four years in Chicago before joining Houston this offseason. His position on the roster is extremely tenuous and he needs to show out to remain in the competition.
Kai Kroeger, P #38
I could have gone OT Blake Fisher here, but who wants to watch a career backup OT? Let’s give a nod to the special teams. While writing this article, Jonathan M. Alexander posted that the Texans cut Jack Stonehouse, ending the embarrassing punting competition that occurred at camp. Nick Caserio brought in 2-3 punters over the weekend for a tryout. Even with the news, Kroeger hasn’t faired well this camp and is in jeopardy of losing his job after roster cuts occur. His competition is solely against himself as Houston could easily add a punter who gets cut from their own team at the 53-man roster decision.
