Texans’ QB decision could come before training camp, Kelvin Benjamin returns to practice and more OTA news

Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien said the team could name its starting quarterback before training camp, according to NFL.com. The Texans are currently conducting a quarterback battle between Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer, but O'Brien has been noncommittal on a timeline for naming a starter. The two have been splitting reps throughout Houston's organized team activities.

Neither quarterback inspires a ton of confidence at this point, but Hoyer has more experience. In 14 games with the Cleveland Browns last season, Hoyer completed 55.3 percent of his passes for 3,326 yards with 12 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. In limited action with the Texans, Mallett completed 54.7 percent of his passes for 400 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Marqise Lee is likely to miss the team's upcoming three-day minicamp due to a knee injury, according to Hays Carlyon of The Florida Times-Union. Lee was injured last month and missed all nine of the last organized team activities due to the injury. Now, head coach Gus Bradley says the team could hold him out for the next OTAs.

Ivory tops Jets RB depth chart

The New York Jets have a roster of capable running backs, but no clear-cut starter in the group. The team likes where they're at with Chris Ivory, Stevan Ridley, Zac Stacy, Daryl Richardson and Bilal Powell, but at this point one of those guys will need to stand out and take the starting job. Ridley is an interesting option, but he's dealt with injuries and is currently not practicing.

Jets head coach Todd Bowles said on Thursday that the depth chart goes Ivory, then Powell, then Richardson, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. Stacy is still learning the offense while Ridley is injured. Ivory was solid last season, with 198 attempts for 821 yards and six touchdowns, while Powell managed 33 carries for 141 yards and a touchdown.

The Carolina Panthers got wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin back at practice on Thursday, according to Steve Reed of The Associated Press. Benjamin has been dealing with a hamstring injury for a few weeks, but his return at this stage rather than waiting until training camp is a sure sign that he's 100 percent at this point. Benjamin missed the first two weeks of organized team activities with the injury.

Benjamin set Panthers rookie records last season with 73 receptions for 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns. He lived up to all of the hype surrounding him as a first-round pick, and should be quarterback Cam Newton's top target this coming season. He'll be starting opposite rookie Devin Funchess if he progresses as the team hopes, and along with tight end Greg Olsen, the Panthers will have one of the biggest, most physical groups of pass catchers in the league.

San Francisco 49ers running back Reggie Bush is taking the first running back reps in drills, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. That doesn't mean Bush will be the starting running back next season -- second-year player Carlos Hyde is expected to take over for Frank Gore, who left in free agency. Bush, who was himself a free agent signing this offseason, is simply a veteran who running backs coach Tom Rathman counts on to get the drills right the first time as an example to the other running backs.