Only two active quarterbacks on the entire roster? That’s what the Houston Texans are rolling with after the cutdown chaos, and get this: zero QBs on their practice squad. It feels like they’re playing a high-stakes game of chicken with their depth as the regular season looms.
Houston’s QB Room Is Bare, And It’s Risky AF
How’d they get into this mess, you ask? Well, presumed QB3 Graham Mertz tore his ACL in the very first preseason game, effectively ending his season. Then Brett Rypien, who basically got called off the couch for the last two preseason games, was gone less than 48 hours after his final play, a strip-sack fumble. Yeah, a third-string QB isn’t usually a team’s highest depth priority. Houston clearly went all in on fortifying other spots like the lines, defense, and special teams. But here’s the thing: when you factor in that starting QB Stroud has already missed games in two of his three seasons due to concussions, having only Mills as the sole QB option after him is a massive risk. If Mills has to step in, he’d be at a huge disadvantage trying to learn the playbook and lingo while diagnosing a complicated NFL defense on the fly. That’s a lot of pressure, even for a team with a supposedly good defense backing him up.
O-Line Woes: A Familiar Nightmare
And speaking of massive risks, are we really doing this O-line watch *again*? It feels like the cry for years has been “fix the O-line!” This offseason, GM Caserio went hard in free agency and the draft to fortify that position. But guess what? The projected starting O-line for September 13th still has three holdovers from last season. Their two big free agent signings, Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith? Teller’s already relegated to second-string at LG, and Smith is stuck on IR at RT. Rookie first-round pick Keylan Rutledge did lock down a spot at LG, but the lasting image? Getting absolutely planted on a play that went to the other side of the field. Bargain-bin pickup Neal Brown at least secured the C position. When we actually saw the starting O-line in limited preseason action, they moved the ball pretty effectively, which is *something*. But will that actually hold up?
The Real Test Begins Now
So, there you have it. The Texans are heading into the season with a dangerously thin QB room and an O-line that’s got way too many question marks, despite all the offseason efforts. They kick off the season against Buffalo on September 13th. The real question is: will that O-line actually hold up against a real NFL defense? We’re all gonna have to wait and see if this whole plan works out or if they’re gonna be scrambling for answers really fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Battle Red Blog.
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