The Houston Texans kick off their 24th training camp in team history this morning at 9 a.m. at the Methodist Training Center, and I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that this is the deepest and most talented team that’s been assembled in Texans history. GM Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans have done a fantastic job of vetting and finding the right kind of players, at nearly every position.

Still, there are some question marks, and at least one position group (what’s up, offensive line room?) where it feels like anything is possible and any permutation of players could wind up starting in Week 1. So what does the overall roster look like, and who will make the cut coming out of camp in six weeks? Without further ado, here is my second iteration of the Texans’ 53-man roster projection this offseason:

THE LOCKS

QUARTERBACK (2):  C.J., Stroud, Davis Mills
These are easy picks, and with no Case Keenum around, like the last couple seasons, it’s a virtual lock that the Texans will carry just two quarterbacks this season. Any supplemental QB help, i.e. emergency game day QBs, will come from the practice squad.

RUNNING BACK (2): Joe Mixon, Woody Marks
Mixon is still the bell cow for this team, even if he was walking around in a walking boot this offseason. As a fourth round pick that the Texans aggressively pursued, Marks is definitely making the team as a pass catching option out of the backfield. The only thing preventing Nick Chubb from being a lock is health. I want to see a few practices before giving him that designation.

WIDE RECEIVER (4): Nico Collins, Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel
Collins is one of the five best receivers in football. Kirk was brought in on the final year of his big feee agency deal he signed three years ago with Jacksonville. The two Iowa State draftees are not only making the team, but expected to contribute.

TIGHT END (2): Dalton Schultz, Cade Stover
Schultz is in the second year of his three year contract signed before last season. He needs to bounce back in a big way in 2025. The team is very high on Stover’s potential, and he flashed nicely in spring practices.

OFFENSIVE LINE (5): Cam Robinson, Laken Tomlinson, Tytus Howard, Blake Fisher, Aireontae Ersery
This will be the most watched position at camp, as literally all five spots in the starting lineup are up for grabs. As young second round picks, Fisher and Ersery are both making the team. Robinson and Howard are the two highest paid guys on the line, and Tomlinson feels like a vet that, provided he remains healthy, DeMeco Ryans just wants in that room, either as a starter or backup.

DEFENSIVE LINE (6): Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter, Denico Autry, Mario Edwards, Tim Settle, Sheldon Rankins
This is the deepest group on the team, and there were at least two more guys I was tempted to make “locks,” but I want to play it out over the rest of the article. Let’s keep moving….

LINEBACKER (3): Azezz Al-Shaair, Henry To’o To’o, Christian Harris
Al-Shaair is beloved from ownership on down here in Houston. In Jacksonville and other places, he is public enemy number one. Harris needs to stay healthy, after missing the first 13 games last season with a mysterious calf injury.

CORNERBACK (4): Derek Stingley, Kamari Lassiter, Jaylin Smith, Jalen Pitre
Stingley and Lassiter are Moana the best corner duos in the league. Smith will make it as a third round rookie, and Pitre finally makes the “roster projection exercise” move from safety to slot corner.

SAFETY (2):  Calen Bullock, C.J. Gardner-Johnson
Another very intriguing position group with a stellar duo at the top. The big variable here is what happens with Jimmie Ward, after his arrest for domestic violence in June. His court date is set for mid-August, and his attorney expects him to be “vindicated.” We shall see. For now, I’m leaving him off this article altogether.

SPECIALISTS (3): Tommy Townsend, Ka’imi Fairbairn, Austin Brinkman
Not much to say here, other than it will be weird not having Jon Weeks around. This will be the first camp with no Weeks since 2009.

Okay, thus far, we have the following:

* 15 players on offense
* 15 players on defense
* 3 special teamers

Let’s go shopping for twenty more players, shall we?

34. JAKOB JOHNSON, fullback
Nick Caley wants to run the football, which likely means keeping a fullback, and his familiarity with Johnson, who was with Caley in New England a couple seasons ago, makes him a likely keeper, over second year man British Brooks.

35. NICK CHUBB, running back
If he’s healthy, not only is he making the team, but I think he makes an impact.

36. DARE OGUNBOWALE, running back
Special teams gets Dare the nod over the ultra popular Dameon Pierce, who i could see getting traded for a Day 3 draft pick sometime during camp.

37. JUSTIN WATSON, wide receiver
38. XAVIER HUTCHINSON, wide receiver
Receivers five and six on the depth chart are Watson, who brings a ton of championship experience to the table, and Hutchinson, to complete the trifecta of former Iowa State wide receivers on the roster.

39. JARRETT PATTERSON, center/guard
40. JAKE ANDREWS, center/guard
41. TRENT BROWN, tackle
My guess is one of Patterson or Andrews will be the starting center, and the other will provide depth on the interior. Juice Scruggs might not make this team. Brown was just declared healthy this week, and will battle for one of the tackle spots. This gets is to eight offensive linemen, so there will likely be one more coming.

42. DEREK BARNETT, defensive end
43. DARRELL TAYLOR, defensive end
44. FOLEY FATUKASI, defensive tackle
This gets us to nine defensive linemen. I could see them going with ten.

45. E.J. SPEED, linebacker
46. JAKE HANSEN, linebacker
This rounds out the linebacking corps. Speed could compete for a starting spot next to Al-Shaair. Hansen makes it as an ace special teamer.

47. TREMON SMITH, cornerback
48. DAMON ARNETTE, cornerback
49. M.J. STEWART, safety
50. JAYLEN REED, safety
This rounds out the secondary, again, with no Jimmie Ward, for now.

51. LUKE LACHEY, tight end
We need a third tight end, and I’ll take a flyer on a rookie out of the tight end factory that is the University of Iowa, over Brevin Jordan and Irv Smith, Jr.

52. DYLAN HORTON, defensive end
Horton is a great story, after recovering from Stage 4 cancer last year to make it back on the field. He is still on his rookie contract, so he is cheap labor, too.

53. JUICE SCRUGGS, center/guard
Okay, I guess I’ll keep Scruggs, but he is on notice!

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