The Houston Texans are gearing up for their first course of action Thursday night when they take on the Chicago Bears in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. Naturally, everyone is pumped to see C.J. Stroud in action for Year 2.
The big question is, will he or any of the other starters play meaningful reps on Thursday?
“When it comes to the Hall of Fame game, we’re still continuing to evaluate who will play,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said earlier this week. “We still we got a few days before we get there and we’ll evaluate who will play. If you look at the premise of it, you’ll definitely see a lot of our young guys in the Hall of Fame game and try to see those guys get as many reps as possible.”
Stroud, Stefon Diggs, Laremy Tunsil and others don’t need to see the field this week. Some might not see the field until Week 1 rolls around since they’re almost guaranteed to make the roster.
Right now, there are probably around 20-25 spots on the roster left available. The remaining spots have been locked up either because of contracts or proven production, meaning the preseason will be essential for these players to impress if they expect to make the final 53-man squad.
But which players should be considered “locks” to make the roster? Here’s Texans Wire’s list of players that should be on the field when Houston travels to Indianapolis to take on the Colts.