Predicting the Texans roster ahead of Preseason Week 1

2019 Houston Texans 53-man prediction

2019 Houston Texans 53-man prediction
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The Houston Texans will kick off their preseason slate Thursday in Green Bay against the Packers. I didn't head north to face the balmy Wisconsin heat for the Texans' two joint practices against the Cheeseheads, before their Thursday night showdown.

Despite not seeing the last couple of practices, I feel like I have a good feel for where the roster is as of this moment. I've decided to lay out my first prediction for what the Texans' final 53-man roster might look like, once the rosters cuts are finished, before the kickoff to the regular season.

It's worth noting that injuries will happen and the team is most likely to make roster additions via trade, claiming guys as they are waived and/or signing guys off the street. This article should serve as a simple exercise in letting you know, based off of my sole observations, where I believe the roster stands as the Houston Texans enter Preseason Week 1.

53 -man roster

K - Ka'imi Fairbairn

Not enough is made out of how great of an addition Fairbairn has been. The kid is golden.

P - Bryan Anger

Trevor Daniel may be the safer pick here, but I like the boom or bust of Anger. I believe Anger has the bigger leg, but Daniel is more consistent and safe. Brad Seely turned the Texans' special teams into a Top 10 unit in his first season. In a game of inches, I could see Houston going with the guy that can swing the field.

LS - Jon Weeks

He plays a position that isn't the most glamorous and that's the only reason that he's not a household name.

QB - Deshaun Watson / AJ McCarron / Joe Webb

Watson is king, AJ has been a pleasant surprise (assuming the injury that saw him leave joint practices isn't severe) and Webb is a value third string quarterback that sticks due to his ability to play specials.

RB - Lamar Miller / Damarea Crockett / Karan Higdon / Cullen Gillaspia / Taiwan Jones

Lamar is the stalwart that actually looks quicker than in his past, if you can believe it. Crockett looks to impress with his size, blended with patience, vision and instincts. Higdon, another undrafted running back like Crockett, brings a stoutness and ability to get north and south quickly with great balance. Gillaspia brings the fullback position back into the fold and gives the offense even more versatility. Taiwan Jones gives the position return ability and all around special teams coverage. Jones is also another veteran, despite limited carries in his career. Overall, this is a young running back group outside of Miller and Jones.

NOTE: I'd be surprised if this is the roster come week 1 as I expect the Texans to sign, trade or claim another running back that's not on the current roster.

WR - DeAndre Hopkins / Will Fuller / Keke Coutee / Vyncint Smith / Tyron Johnson

DeAndre Carter has struggled to get healthy. In his absence, the young guys, Smith, Johnson and Steven Mitchell Jr. have stepped up. Keeping five running backs and mainly, Taiwan Jones, makes Carter's spot disappear. I couldn't get Mitchell onto the roster, but he's right there in the running with Smith and Johnson. Starting the year on the practice squad will be most likely for Mitchell and it gives the Texans insurance for injury or even struggles from the other young wideouts.

TE - Darren Fells / Jordan Thomas / Jordan Akins / Kahale Warring

It's hard to keep four tight ends, but that's what the Texans need due to their talent at the position and the versatility of the unit. Fells gives an offensive line with issues, extra protection. Thomas is that hybrid weapon that can inline block, along with move the chains and become a red zone threat. Akins is a move tight end that gives Watson another weapon in the passing game. Warring is developmental with a nice upside. While he may not factor in a lot in his rookie season, his status as a third round pick and future potential prevents the Texans from trying to slide him to the practice squad as he would be quickly picked up in the waiver process.

OL - Matt Kalil / Tytus Howard / Nick Martin / Zach Fulton / Seantrel Henderson / Max Scharping / Greg Mancz / Julien Davenport / Martinas Rankin / Roderick Johnson

Yes, 10 offensive lineman. Quantity over quality, I guess. The guy that will draw the most wide eyes is Johnson. It was a struggle to pick between Senio Kelemete and Roderick Johnson. Houston has a bigger issue at offensive tackle than on the interior in my opinion. Johnson has shown flashes and with Henderson and Davenport as the right tackle and swing tackle ahead of him, I believe it's worth keeping him around for a long season in the case that Henderson and Davenport either struggle or get bit by the injury bug.

DL - JJ Watt / Jadeveon Clowney / DJ Reader / Angelo Blackson / Charles Omenihu / Brandon Dunn / Carlos Watkins

It's difficult to leave Joel Heath off of the 53-man roster. He's an NFL player and could easily beat out Watkins for the seventh spot among the defensive line. Watkins is in year three and was always a three-year project. I wouldn't cut bait with him too early.

LB - Whitney Mercilus / Benardrick McKinney / Zach Cunningham / Dylan Cole / Brennan Scarlett / Peter Kalambayi

Scarlett could find competition in the form of a player cut from another team as they fight to get their own roster to 53. Kalambayi was a freak on special teams last season and has shown up a few times in training camp at the linebacker position.

CB - Johnathan Joseph / Bradley Roby / Aaron Colvin / Johnson Bademosi / Lonnie Johnson Jr / Briean Boddy-Calhoun

Bademosi is that special teams stud for the cornerback group and it'd be a surprise if he's not around, especially due to the lack of talent at the position that would force him off. Boddy-Calhoun needs to be on alert, even after making the 53-man roster, as the Texans will have to upgrade the position at some point. Houston needs to look for superior cornerback talent via the trade market but could settle for a roster cutdown addition.

S - Justin Reid / Tashaun Gipson / Jahleel Addae / AJ Moore

As weak as the cornerback position is, Houston really has replaced the talent at safety. Reid is a veteran, despite the fact that he's only going into year two of his career and was a third round pick. The Gipson and Addae additions were solid. Moore has been a ballhawk in training camp and can leave a mark on special teams. The Texans would be wise to play a lot of "big dime" this season as opposed to the regular dime formation that puts four cornerbacks on the field with two safeties. They're better equipped to play three safeties along with three cornerbacks in a "big dime" look.

First 5 Off:

1) Joel Heath

2) Senio Kelemete

3) Jerell Adams

4) Steven Mitchell Jr

5) DeAndre Carter

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The Rangers beat the Astros, 1-0. Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images.

Jacob deGrom went eight innings to win his fourth consecutive start for the Texas Rangers, who got Jake Burger's solo home run off Hunter Brown in a 1-0 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday night in an anticipated pitchers' duel that certainly lived up to expectations.

Two-time Cy Young Award winner deGrom (4-1) is having quite a comeback after missing most of the last two seasons following Tommy John surgery. The 36-year-old right-hander struck out seven, two of those to end innings with two runners on base, while walking one and giving up five hits.

Brown (6-2), who is 10 years younger that deGrom, struck out nine without a walk while scattering three hits in his first career complete game. The righty was tied for the major league lead in wins and retired the first 12 batters he faced before Adolis García lined a double to left to start the fifth.

Shawn Armstrong worked around a two-out walk in the ninth for his second save.

Burger went deep leading off the sixth, a 394-foot drive into the Texas bullpen in right-center for his fourth homer of the season.

Key moment

Rangers right fielder García made a sliding catch of a sinking liner by Mauricio Dubón for the final out of the seventh when Houston had a runner at second base. García had several nice plays, including a sliding catch near the line after running a long way to open the fourth.

Key stat

Bruce Bochy got his 2,195th career win to break a tie with Sparky Anderson for the sixth-most by an MLB manager. Bochy, who turned 70 last month, is in his 28th season as a manager, his third in Texas.

Up next

Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (4-2, 1.78 ERA) goes into Friday night having allowed only two earned runs over 25 innings in his last four starts (3-0). Right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. (0-1, 15.75) makes only his third start for Houston since the 2022 World Series.

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