Battle Red Blog
Tomorrow, the Houston Texans take on the Detroit Lions in their third and final preseason game ahead of the 2025 season. Through two games, the Texans have had plenty to be happy with from their offensive line and backups considering most other starters have sat. Along with getting healthy, the Texans have emphasized getting their rookies up to speed along with finding solutions at several key depth positions. Allthewhile, several players have stood out from the 90 players on the roster and that led me to ask this week’s Battle Red Blog Groupthink:
Okay, I’ve been ragging on the guy, but with the Metchie trade, I think Xavier Hutchinson is getting that spot. He seems to have done more in camp than the other marginal roster guys. I have no idea what happens with the sixth wide receiver spot, but I think he’s one of the six guys.
This is a tough call, especially as much of the roster was likely set before camp started. I don’t know if he was just brought in to be a camp arm, but Kedon Slovis appears set to take that QB3 slot. Mertz may not be fully healed from his torn ACL, and given that he’s been the last QB on the field the past two games seems to indicate where he stands in the food chain. Slovis, well, you would never build a franchise around him, but if it is between him and Mertz, Slovis would be a more effective QB3 right now.
Y’know, this was kind of difficult…there were enough solid performances from fringe players, that I have no idea what direction the front office will go with their cuts.
On offense, if there was any possibility that C/G Jake Andrews or C/G Juice Scruggs would be cut, there certainly isn’t one now. Both excelled in limited preseason action, so at least one of these linemen will be a starter. If there somehow ends up being room for more at this position group, I wouldn’t mind keeping either G Jaylon Thomas or T Zach Thomas as another warm body. There’s no way they’ll keep the same starting five all season long, so another center or tackle may come in handy in a pinch. Houston’s brass may be more motivated to keep Ts LaDarius Henderson and Austin Deculus because of their experience in the building, but I’d prefer another interior lineman.
Besides the line, I think QB Kedon Slovis balled out enough in both stints to warrant a roster spot if Houston decides to go with three quarterbacks. If not, I’d hope he’d be able to stick to the practice squad as Houston’s embryo-stage Davis Mills replacement.
Likewise, I’m not ready to give up on WR Xavier Hutchison as a solid backup to...
