Texans unofficially pick a quarterback, Jets looking into Matt Flynn and more

The Houston Texans quarterback battle may not be as big a mess as the one going on in Buffalo, but it's still totally unclear who will be the starter between Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett. When the Texans released their unofficial depth chart, they had both players listed as starters, but as noted by the folks over at Battle Red Blog, the word "or" between their names has been removed as of Friday.

Instead, the depth chart lists Hoyer first, Mallett second and Tom Savage as the third string. It's unclear if this is just a mistake or if the Texans made a conscious decision to change things up. But the team plays the San Francisco 49ers in their preseason opener on Saturday, and it may mean that they've decided Hoyer will start that game.

Jets exploring QB options

The New York Jets are exploring bringing in quarterback Matt Flynn or possibly another veteran for a visit. New York is looking at life without Geno Smith well into the regular season due to a broken jaw, and Smith was having his strongest training camp yet up to that point. At this stage, the team doesn't have a whole lot behind Smith. They have Ryan Fitzpatrick, who will presumably be the starter while Smith is gone, but behind him there is only rookie Bryce Petty.

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz is slated to miss the entire preseason due to a "core muscle injury," as described by Chip Kelly. Ertz went down with an injury in practice on Wednesday, and it's unfortunate that he'll miss the preseason. That said, Ertz is expected to be ready for Week 1 of the regular season, when the Eagles will face the Atlanta Falcons.

Trey Burton, Eric Tomlinson, Andrew Gleichert and Justin Tukes should now all be competing for roster spots and playing time. Burton is likely to benefit the most and should see a definitive uptick in planned reps in the preseason, but Ertz will certainly be the starter when he comes back for the regular season.

Bradford wont't play against the Colts

Like Ertz, quarterback Sam Bradford won't be playing when the Eagles take on the Indianapolis Colts in the preseason opener on Sunday. But unlike Ertz, Bradford is still likely to get some playing time this preseason. He's recovering from an injury, and has spent much of his NFL career doing so -- the most recent problem is an ACL injury he sustained in Aug. 2013.

That means Mark Sanchez will make the start in Bradford's place. There's not room for Sanchez to potentially earn the starting role at this stage, as Bradford is the unquestioned starter. But given Bradford's injury history, further evaluating Sanchez and what he brings to the table can only be a good thing for Chip Kelly and the Eagles. This also means Matt Barkley and even Tim Tebow should get some playing time on Sunday.

Life is rough for Cowboys running backs

The Dallas Cowboys had the top rusher in the league last season in DeMarco Murray. They lost him in free agency and went out and signed Darren McFadden, a player who has fallen far in recent years. It was a drastic change at the running back position, but the Cowboys have been adamant they like the guys they have on the roster.

Unfortunately, McFadden and Lance Dunbar are both dealing with injuries, and presumed starter Joseph Randle was also held out of Thursday's game with an oblique injury. That meant Gus Johnson, an undrafted rookie, was the starter heading into said preseason game. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, Johnson also left that game with an injury, which was called an AC joint separation, according to Nick Eatman of the team website. That's rough.

Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery is only expected to miss "about one week" with a mild calf strain, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. That's great news for the Bears, as Jeffery is the team's top receiver. Rookie first-round pick Kevin White is dealing with a significant shin injury that forced him out of training camp and will likely keep him out for the entire preseason.

It also sounds like there's a chance White could miss some regular season time with his shin injury. The Bears are hoping Jeffery and White will combine for a potent combination for quarterback Jay Cutler this season. It seems likely Jeffery will be held out of the team's next preseason game as a precaution, though the third game is the most important of the bunch and seems a likely place for him to make his return.