Top Texans Stories To Watch During Houston's Training Camp
The Houston Texans training camp begins on Wednesday, July 26th. With it come stories of triumph and fall from grace, tales of rising stars and aging vets, and the inevitable darling of training camp media. In spite of all those themes, several offseason threads should finally come closer to resolution as training camp progresses.
Texans Get To The Center Of The O-line Issues?
For those who followed the Texans last season, it comes as no surprise that the center position rises to the top of the list of controversies to be resolved. Scott Quessenberry started at center and tied for first in sacks allowed from the position with seven. In response to Quessenberry's abysmal performance, the Texans drafted Juice Scruggs and Jarrett Patterson with the 62nd and 201st picks respectively.
They both bring versatility and youth to the position as well as certain flaws. As training camp progresses, it will be noteworthy to watch who ends up taking the first-team snaps with the Texans' offense and begins building chemistry with CJ Stroud. The Texans open the 2023 season against a powerful defense in Baltimore, and they'll need a stable offensive line to have any chance at winning.
Can The Texans Rectify With Their CB2?
A troubling thread this offseason has been the apparent gap growing between the Texans' veteran corner, Steven Nelson, and the front office. He has taken to social media to voice his opinions, referencing Nick Caserio as a "clown" and seeming to take offense at his current contract. Nelson was the 46th-ranked corner last season according to PFF, which hardly provides strong footing for a new contract demand.
The Texans made a point to add Shaquille Griffin to the squad in free agency, a former pro-bowl corner. He provides an ample safety blanket for the Texans' secondary in the event that things with Nelson continue to sour. It's worth watching to see if Nelson attends training camp and participates in all the rigors demanded of a new coach and scheme. If not, he could be a casualty when the time comes to make season roster decisions.
Can The Texans Catch A Break At WR?
The Texans currently have the outlook of one of the worst wide receiver cores in the NFL. Time will tell if that's true, but they need to see strong candidates establish themselves before the pre-season begins. John Metchie will finally make his NFL debut this season, Tank Dell stays in the Houston area to go pro, and Xavier Hutchinson may make a splash even as a sixth-round pick. Some of the established receivers on the roster need to make a noticeable impact on the field, or they may find themselves relegated to the bench.
Nico Collins has been a popular name prepped for a Texans "breakout" for some time, but he hasn't managed to make the on-field leap yet. Robert Woods is getting further and further removed from his 1,000 yards season with the Rams and is climbing in age. The Texans need the youth to establish themselves quickly and create separation to make life easy for rookie CJ Stroud. The offense is dependent on defenses being stretched by the receivers so Dameon Pierce can effectively run the ball.
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