The Houston Texans will cut their roster to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET Saturday.
The Texans are coming off their second consecutive AFC South title, and fourth in five years, but enter the 2020 season with a very different offense around quarterback Deshaun Watson. Houston traded three-time All Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in March and did not re-sign running back Carlos Hyde, who had the best season of his NFL career. Instead, the Texans traded for running back David Johnson and wide receiver Brandin Cooks in an effort to replace the production they will be missing from Hopkins.
Here is a 53-man roster projection:
QUARTERBACK (2): Deshaun Watson, AJ McCarron
The Texans are set at quarterback with Watson and McCarron as a backup. McCarron signed a one year, $4 million contract this offseason.
RUNNING BACK (4): David Johnson, Duke Johnson, Buddy Howell, Cullen Gillaspia (FB)
It will be a combination of David Johnson and Duke Johnson to replace Carlos Hyde, who had a career year for the Texans in 2019. O'Brien said mid-way through training camp that he sees Howell as the third running back. He was a core special teams player for Houston last season, as was Gillaspia.
WIDE RECEIVER (6): Will Fuller V, Brandin Cooks, Randall Cobb, Kenny Stills, Isaiah Coulter, DeAndre Carter
The Texans' receiver corps looks different this season after trading DeAndre Hopkins and trading for Cooks. The trio of Fuller, Cooks and Stills give Houston a lot of speed when healthy. The sixth spot likely comes down to Carter, Keke Coutee and Chad Hansen. While Hansen has stood out at times in training camp, Carter is the established player, especially in a season that favors veteran players. Coulter, who had been dealing with an injury during training camp, could start the season on injured reserve, which could give Houston an extra spot for Coutee.
TIGHT END (4): Darren Fells, Jordan Akins, Jordan Thomas, Kahale Warring
Thomas reported for training camp in great shape and looks ahead of Warring, a third-round pick in 2019 who spent his rookie season on injured reserve, on the depth chart if the Texans only keep three tight ends. But with only two quarterbacks on the roster, there could be room for a fourth, at least to start the season.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9): Laremy Tunsil, Max Scharping, Nick Martin, Zach Fulton, Tytus Howard, Greg Mancz, Senio Kelemete, Charlie Heck, Roderick Johnson
For the first time since Bill O'Brien took over as head coach in 2014, the Texans will have all five starters on the offensive line returning. Tunsil said his goal for the season is to fix the penalties that plagued him in 2019. Johnson makes the roster as insurance for Heck as a reserve tackle.
DEFENSIVE LINE (6): J.J. Watt, Ross Blacklock, Charles Omenihu, Brandon Dunn, Angelo Blackson, Jonathan Greenard
Omenihu has stood out in training camp, and the Texans are hoping he makes a big jump in his second year. The 2019 fifth-round pick played 41 percent of the defensive snaps last season and was one of four rookies with at least three sacks and two forced fumbles.
LINEBACKER (8): Zach Cunningham, Benardrick McKinney, Whitney Mercilus, Brennan Scarlett, Jacob Martin, Peter Kalambayi, Dylan Cole, Tyrell Adams
O'Brien thinks highly of Cunningham, who is in the final season of his rookie contract will sign a big contract at some point before the end of March 2021, whether that is in Houston or elsewhere. Martin, acquired as part of a trade that sent Jadeveon Clowney to Seattle in 2019, has stood out in training camp and could have a bigger role after he played just 20.5 percent of Houston's defensive snaps in 2019.
CORNERBACK (6): Bradley Roby, Lonnie Johnson, Vernon Hargreaves, Gareon Conley, Keion Crossen, John Reid
Johnson has shown off his versatility during training camp, and O'Brien said although he is "primarily" an outside corner, he could also play elsewhere. O'Brien called Reid the most impressive rookie of this year's group.
SAFETY (5): Justin Reid, A.J. Moore, Eric Murray, Michael Thomas, Jaylen Watkins
Reid played through the entire 2019 season with a torn labrum, missing only one game, but he needed surgery during the offseason. Moore played well on special teams last season and after a good training camp, he could see more playing time on defense.
SPECIALIST (3): Ka'imi Fairbairn, Bryan Anger, Jon Weeks
All three specialists re-signed with Houston in the last year and will retain their roles in 2020.