The Houston Texans came within one game of earning a wildcard berth in 2014. If enough of their offseason additions work out as hoped, it could push the still-young franchise over the top.
2015 NFL depth chart: Do the Texans have a quarterback?
The quarterback, wide receiver and outside linebacker positions should have healthy competitions entering 2015.
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Perhaps the most significant change for the Texans has occurred at quarterback. Ryan Fitzpatrick, the starter for most of last season, was sent to the New York Jets for a draft pick. While the team has re-signed Ryan Mallett with the intention of giving him another look. He will not be alone. Former Cleveland Browns signal caller Brian Hoyer has also joined the team, and may be the favorite for the job.
Houston also added plenty of talent in the draft. Top pick Kevin Johnson should factor into the secondary at some point. Third-round pick Jaelen Strong should be a factor at wide receiver. Linebacker Benardrick McKinney too could see significant playing time.
Here are the position battles to watch during training camp:
Quarterback
As with most teams, the quality of the quarterback position largely determines the outcome of the season. One needs to look no further than last year's Texans team, which received an all-time great performance out of Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt but failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Hoyer appears to have the inside track for the No. 1 job. He didn’t light the world on fire in Cleveland in 2014, but he’s a heady, experienced quarterback who can quickly grasp Bill O’Brien’s offense. The coaches will consider Mallett as well, but there’s a reason he didn’t make it into the starting lineup until midway through the season.
The wildcard is 2014 fourth-round pick Tom Savage. Savage did little to distinguish himself as a rookie, but he has perhaps the best skillset of any passer on the roster. If his handle on the offense begins to match his physical gifts, he can’t be ruled out as a viable option in Houston.
With a strong defense, the Texans don’t need a quarterback to be an MVP candidate. A league-average starter would probably make Houston a very strong contender in the AFC. There is just a serious question whether any combination of Hoyer, Mallet or Savage can be that.
Outside linebacker
If Jadeveon Clowney was healthy, there's little doubt that he'd start the season opposite the recently extended Whitney Mercilus at outside linebacker. However, after microfracture surgery, the team has to take a cautious approach with the 2014 No. 1 overall pick.
Clowney’s uncertain status likely factored into the Texans’ decision to draft McKinney in the second round. McKinney played in the middle during his final season at Mississippi State, but his size (6’4, 246 pounds) and abilities suggest that he can be a viable edge rusher next to Watt.
Wide receiver
At the top of the depth chart sits DeAndre Hopkins, a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver. However, there is little certainty behind him.
The Texans signed Cecil Shorts as a capable, low-cost option on the perimeter. He won’t distinguish himself in Houston, but he’s still good enough to serve as a No. 2. His main competition will be the rookie Strong out of Arizona State. Strong looks like a bigger version of Hopkins, but he did not always play that way for the Sun Devils. He has to learn how to utilize his huge frame and strength to overwhelm defensive backs, but if he can figure it out before Week 1, the Texans may roll the dice with the rookie as the starter opposite Hopkins.
Andre Johnson wasn’t the player he was in his prime, but he was still plenty productive last season and replacing him will be a key. With questions at quarterback, the Texans could really use a combination of receivers to take their games to the next level to help make life easier for whoever is under center.
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