The final weekend of the NFL preseason is done, and now it’s on to guillotine sharpening season, as the 32 teams in the National Football League now must pare their rosters from 90 players down to the mandated 53 players. As Nick Caserio will point out, though, there is also the hope of bringing players who are cut back onto the 16 man practice squad, a key adjunct to the main roster.
The cuts begin rolling in over the weekend. Take my word that I am generating this article early Sunday afternoon, before the Texans have made any cuts. The deadline line to get down to 53 is 3 p.m. this Tuesday, August 26. With that in mind, here is my prediction for the Texans’ 53 man roster. Here we go:
QUARTERBACKS (2): C.J. Stroud, Davis Mills
This is an easy one. The big question (well, okay, medium sized question) will be who the team keeps on the practice squad as the emergency quarterback, as both Kedon Slovis and rookie Graham Mertz had impressive showings on Saturday against Detroit.
RUNNING BACKS (4): Nick Chubb, Woody Marks, Dare Ogunbowale, Dameon Pierce
Chubb has been running with the starters, in the absence of Joe Mixon. Woody Marks has stood out in camp and in games. The rookie absolutely factors into the equation. Ogunbowale is viewed as a reliable emergency back and a core special teams guy. Pierce is an interesting one, because I’m assuming Mixon starts the season on the PUP list, opening up this spot for Pierce. If Mixon were healthy, I think Pierce would be gone, likely traded.
WIDE RECEIVERS (7): Nico Collins, Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, Xavier Hutchinson, Justin Watson, Braxton Berrios
Seven is a lot at the receiver position, but the fact the likely kick and punt returners (Berrios and/or Noel) come from this group makes it easier to keep an extra guy.
FULLBACK / TIGHT ENDS (4): Dalton Schultz, Cade Stover, Irv Smith, Jakob Johnson
Schultz and Stover were locks. I have Irv Smith winning the battle with the newly acquired Harrison Bryant for the third tight end spot, with Johnson making the team as a hybrid fullback/tight end, in that order.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9): Aireontae Ersery, Laken Tomlinson, Jake Andrews, Ed Ingram, Tytus Howard, Cam Robinson, Blake Fisher, Jarrett Patterson, Juice Scruggs
After all the conjecture of what would happen on the offensive line, including former second round picks Scruggs and Fisher perceived to be precariously close to being let go, we settle on these nine. Several new faces along the starting front, with Fisher, Scruggs, and Patterson anchoring the second layer on the depth chart.
DEFENSIVE LINE (10): Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter, Darrell Taylor, Derek Barnett, Dylan Horton, Tim Settle, Sheldon Rankins, Foley Fatukasi, Mario Edwards, Tommy Togiai
One key here is Denice Autry, a veteran who can play on the inside and outside, and who the Texans really like when he is healthy. The problem? He is not healthy all that often. If they start him on the PUP list, which I am assuming in this projection, it opens up a spot for Togiai or Horton.
LINEBACKERS (5): Azeez Al-Shaair, Christian Harris, Henry To’o To’o, E.J. Speed, Jake Hansen
Hansen survives again, over Nick Niemann and Jamal Hill, who I know they would love to have back on the practice squad, if this is how it plays out.
CORNERBACKS (5): Derek Stingley, Kamari Lassiter, Jaylin Smith, Tremon Smith, Jalen Pitre
I’m putting Pitre in this group, even though he is not a conventional slot corner. Tremon Smith makes the team over D’Angelo Ross. Jaylin Smith, a third round rookie, as the third cornerback is not ideal. This is one position where I could see the Texans making moves after they see who’s been cut by other teams.
SAFETIES (4): Calen Bullock, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, M.J. Stewart, Myles Bryant
This is another position where the Texans might look around the league after cutdown day. Jimmie Ward’s legal situation makes this room a little murky. Bryant makes it as a safety, but his versatility and ability to play slot corner gets him on the team. Rookie Jaylen Reed starts the season on the PUP list, unless they feel they can sneak him through waivers and bring him back on the practice squad.
SPECIALISTS (3): Austin Brinkman, Ka’imi Fairbairn, Tommy Townsend
This is usually one of the easiest groups to forecast, but Brinkman is dealing with some ailment right now, which is why Blake Ferguson was brought in last week. Ferguson was atrocious snapping in the win over the Lions. He will not be on this team. So if Brinkman is hurt, do they pick up another long snapper this week, and put Brinkman on injured reserve. If they do that, do you burn one of your eight returns from IR on a long snapper? Allowing Jon Weeks to walk in free agency is suddenly something that’s possibly coming back to bite the Texans in the ass.
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