10 days of OTAs started

[Nconroe]

So now offseason training has started, and we hope we got the right guys onboard to build a superbowl bound team. Could be.

I was just looking at Linebackers since this is one of places team got really thin at end of last year.

From roster at Houstontexans.com, see these 14 guys in camp now

56 Cushing, Brian ILB 6-3 255 26 4 Southern California
61 Davis, Ja'Gared ILB 6-0 238 R SMU
51 Sharpton, Darryl ILB 5-11 234 25 3 Miami (Fla.)

50 Braman, Bryan LB 6-5 251 26 2 West Texas A&M
49 Collins, Cameron LB 6-2 241 23 R Oregon State
52 Dobbins, Tim LB 6-1 236 30 7 Iowa State
59 Mercilus, Whitney LB 6-4 257 22 R Illinois
Mohamed, Mike LB 6-3 245 25 2 California

63 Jefferson, Willie OLB 6-5 233 R Stephen F. Austin
64 Johnson, Delano OLB 6-4 280 25 R Bowie State
58 Reed, Brooks OLB 6-2 250 26 2 Arizona
47 Tuggle, Justin OLB 6-3 244 R Kansas State
54 Williams, Trevardo OLB 6-1 241 R Connecticut
57 Montgomery, Sam OLB 6-3 262 22 R LSU

Seems 7 or 8 or maybe 9 of these guys will make the team.

Daryl Shapton made it for first day of OTAs, that is good to hear. Saw Cushing working out well on TV, should be ready for training camp.

Sounds like Braman, and Mercilus started at OLB and rotated with Williams and Montgomery on day 1 of OTAs, although guess everyone will get lots of reps.

And Reed and Sharpton started at ILB, rotated with others for now.

Seems the more of these guys we keep, might also help special teams.

[painekiller]

ON a side note, Tim Dobbins is not in town. Kubiak said it's voluntary and he is not required to be here, so....

[Nconroe]

Looks like we are trying to perhaps upgrade our receivers to help on third down conversions and end zone scores.

Looks like a total of 15 in camp now, 10 WR and 5 TE.

Quite a few for some good competition.

16 Bonner, Alan WR 5-10 193 R Jacksonville State
12 Cruse, Andy WR 6-3 212 R Miami (Ohio)
18 Jean, Lestar WR 6-3 212 25 2 Florida Atlantic
80 Johnson, Andre WR 6-3 230 31 10 Miami (Fla.)
17 Lemon, Alec WR 6-1 202 R Syracuse
15 Maehl, Jeff WR 6-0 185 24 1 Oregon
82 Martin, Keshawn WR 5-11 190 23 R Michigan State
11 Posey, DeVier WR 6-1 206 23 R Ohio State
86 Smith, Mike WR 6-0 204 R Connecticut
10 Hopkins, DeAndre WR 6-1 214 R Clemson

Some taller TE which seems the trend all around the league these days.

82 Byrne, Jake TE 6-4 260 23 R
81 Daniels, Owen TE 6-3 249 30 7 Wisconsin
88 Graham, Garrett TE 6-3 244 26 3 Wisconsin
84 Griffin, Ryan TE 6-6 247 R Connecticut
48 Supernaw, Phillip TE 6-5 250 23 R Ouachita Baptist

How many WR will we keep, 5 or 6, and TE 3 or 4. I guess depends on how many RB and FB and OL we also keep.

[Nconroe]

Three days of OTA or first week is done, 7 more days to go starting next Tuesday.

Lots of positive feedback these days, of course its early.

Another area which needed some improvement last year was right side of OL, so other than experience, what going on there.

For camp now have 16 guys on OL, maybe keep 7 or 8 or 9? with quite a few Tackles to look at.

Horn, Tyler C 6-4 305 1 Miami
60 Jones, Ben C 6-3 303 23 R Georgia
55 Myers, Chris C 6-4 290 31 8 Miami (Fla.)

79 Brooks, Brandon G 6-5 340 23 R Miami (Ohio)
61 Collins, Bryan G 6-3 301 R SMU
62 Kupper, Alex G 6-3 300 R Louisville
74 Smith, Wade G 6-4 307 32 10 Memphis
67 White, Cody G 6-3 301 24 R Illinois State


73 Williams, Brennan T 6-6 318 R North Carolina

76 Brown, Duane T 6-4 320 27 5 Virginia Tech
66 Gardner, Andrew T 6-6 308 27 2 Georgia Tech
68 Harris, Ryan T 6-5 300 28 5 Notre Dame
69 Mondek, Nick T 6-5 303 24 R Purdue
75 Newton, Derek T 6-5 318 25 2 Arkansas State
70 O'Neill, Dann T 6-7 326 R Western Michigan
77 Quessenberry, David T 6-5 302 R San Jose State

[painekiller]

I see the OT position as a quandary. Brown is a no brainier, if he stays healthy he will be the OT for a long time. But the RT is still in flux.

Can Newton recover and have a sophomore jump in his play, a big if with a repaired patella tendon. Even if he recovers, the team sent a huge message by drafting an OT in the 3rd round. Most likely if healthy the future swing guy.

And now the 3rd round guy, Williams is having a hard time getting on the field due to a fluke injury. It is real early and we have a very small amount of data on the kid, but the kid has to get out of the tub or he maybe a redshirt guy on the IR. (He has months to get healthy and make an impression, I get that). He fits the part on paper, long arms, good feet, and a monster run blocker.

The surprise find is Quessenberry, he fits the ZBS and he can play inside and outside. Which is very valuable on game day. He and Jones should be penciled in as the backups that suit up on game days this season.

I am also intrigued to see Mondek during open practices and preseason games, how much has he progressed.

I consider most of the rest as roster fillers so they can practice 3rd and 4th teams during camp. Someone may surprise, and force an unpleasant roster move for the Texans, but unlikely. We will see one or two of these guys make the PS come September.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by Nconroe

How many WR will we keep, 5 or 6, and TE 3 or 4. I guess depends on how many RB and FB and OL we also keep.

The Texans have been doing an excellent job of collecting talented players, we have guys that will be picked up by other teams and placed on there active rosters. This was unheard of during the Casserly years.

I am guessing they go:
5 WR : AJ, Hopkins, Martin, Bonner, Jean, Posey on the PUP, with Jean on the bubble when Posey comes back.
4 TEs : Daniels, Graham, Griffen, Supernaw
3 RB : Foster, Tate, Karim or one of the UDFA, my money is on Johnson,
1 FB Jones and Boren on the PS ( does Jones play ST? if not then they keep Jones or Klutes on the active roster).

[Nconroe]

We do seem to have quite a few good skill position players on the roster now.

I'm hoping by Schaub being at OTA with all these guys he gets used to distributing ball to many of them rather than mostly going to AJ.

Wonder if they will work more hurry up offense into system of playcalls this year.

The OL I agree seems fairly set other than RT, although looks like good competition there. If OL can give Schaub just a little more time in pass protection consistently might get rid of a few of those interceptions that seemed to come at just the wrong time the last six games last year.

[Nconroe]

Fourth day of OTA, observation appeared to be that the DB's and defense did real well with total of four interceptions.

That is a good sign, since seems I read during last six games Texans defense gave up like 32 passes over 20 yards, evenly distributed amongst the DB's depending on playing time.

From Texans web-site the 15 DB's who are part of 90 man minicamp roster are:

42 Adams, Johnny CB 5-10 182 R Michigan St.
34 Bouye, A.J. CB 6-0 186 R Central Florida
22 Carmichael, Roc CB 5-10 195 24 2 Virginia Tech
26 Harris, Brandon CB 5-10 194 23 2 Miami (Fla.)
27 Howard, Travis CB 6-1 200 R Ohio State
24 Joseph, Johnathan CB 5-11 189 29 7 South Carolina
21 McCain, Brice CB 5-9 184 26 4 Utah
25 Jackson, Kareem DB 5-10 192 25 3 Alabama

36 Swearinger, D.J. S 5-10 208 R South Carolina

20 Reed, Ed FS 5-11 205 34 11 Miami (Fla.)

30 Johnson, Orhian S 6-3 215 R Ohio State
31 Keo, Shiloh S 6-0 202 25 2 Idaho
38 Manning, Danieal S 5-11 210 30 7 Abilene Christian
29 Starling, Jawanza S 6-0 202 R Southern California
35 Pleasant, Eddie SS 5-10 210 24 R Oregon