For the Houston Texans fans looking to see Jadeveon Clowney make a return to Reliant Stadium or Nico Collins haul in a touchdown pass, they're probably going to have to wait a week before making that a reality. As the Texans prepare for Thursday's preseason battle against the Los Angeles Chargers, names like Collins, Clowney and Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud are expected to be among the starters who won’t play on opening night. In fact, most starters who aren't rookies or second-year players likely will not take the field. In reality, Thursday’s festivities are made for the players looking to secure a spot on the 53-man roster. The Texans are expected to be trim the squad down in the next several weeks, so anyone who can stand on out is giving themselves an edge. “Can they go out and perform under the lights, under a little bit more stress?” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said on what he's looking for Thursday evening. “How do guys operate at a high level?" Given that there's several standouts in the early stages of training camp, here's six players to monitor on Thursday in the preseason opener.
CB Collin Wright Every day it feels like Wright is in the "right" spot to make a play. Over the past two weeks, the Stanford product has stood out in 7 vs. 7 drills, team reps, and 1 vs. 1s against some of the best targets, holding his own. On Monday, he picked off C.J. Stroud during team drills, which made starters erupt from the sidelines. “He finds a way to get his hands on the ball in some type of fashion,” Ryans said. “Whether he's picking the ball, whether he's playing sticky coverage and attacking the ball, getting pass break-ups. He's done a really great job of always showing that capability of being attached to the football and that's a good quality to have as a corner.” The Texans will likely carry four or five cornerbacks on the roster this season. Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter and more than likely Jaylin Smith have locked up the top three spots, so Wright will be battling with Tremon Smith, Alijah Huzzie, Brandon Codrington and Stephen Hall for one of potentially two spots. And based on how each of the cornerbacks has shown up during drills in practice, Wright has a legitimate shot to be that guy. Of course, special teams will be a key asset, so he'll have to perform there as well.
RB Noah Whittington The Texans usually keep four running backs on the active roster. David Montgomery and Woody Marks have two of those spots locked up. Who is RB No. 3? Whittington, the undrafted free agent from Oregon, could make the case as the next big thing after working his way up with the second-team offense this past week. Granted, the injuries to Jawhar Jordan and British Brooks are giving him the chance to stand out, but he's also made the most of the reps, breaking through for several first-down runs on team drills. "Noah seems to make a play every day," Ryans said. "He has a really good feel for pressing blocks and his vision. Just knowing when to cut, when to take the ball outside, when to make a cut back up inside. I see a guy who plays with really great vision, great feel at the running back spot." A two-year starter for the Ducks, Whittington finished with 829 rushing yards and six touchdowns last season en route to a College Football Playoff berth. A strong outing could have him fighting with Jordan and Brooks not just for a spot on the roster, but the full-time RB No. 3 role entering Week 1.
TE Marlin Klein When the Texans used a top-60 pick on the German-born Michigan product, it created tensions. Klein, who started one season at Michigan after fighting his way up the depth chart, was a raw prospect. He only caught 24 passes in his lone starting season and never found the end zone after Week 1. He struggled as a blocker and still needed refinement in his route-running concepts. But through two weeks of practice, Klein has impressed. No, he doesn't look like he'll be pushing Dalton Schultz for starting reps, but the 6-foot-6 talent could prove to be an essential part of the offensive personnel this offseason. Over the past four practices, Klein has found his way into the end zone at least once. “His trajectory is definitely pointing up,” Ryans said. “Seeing him in the pass game, you guys have seen him make a lot of plays out here in the passing game. He's still learning a lot. We're throwing a lot at him, but for a rookie to be where he is at this point in camp, I'm very encouraged.” Schultz and veteran Foster Moreau should be out on Thursday, so it could be a big night for Klein to prove he's the No. 3 option entering Week 1.
WR Treyvhon Saunders Lewis Bond is the rookie wideout making the most noise, but could Treyvhon Saunders be another player worth watching entering Thursday's preseason game? The Colgate wideout has consistently made his presence felt during the early stages of training camp. At his best in the return game, Saunders made several impressive grabs during Tuesday's practice and could be competing with Jared Wayne for the final receiver spot on either the active roster or the practice squad. "Treyvhon has done a really nice job of just being smart. Always aligning in the right place," Ryans said Tuesday. "We throw a lot on the receivers when it comes to alignments and motions. I feel like he's handled that really well. He's a fast, explosive guy who can make some plays with the football in his hand, so we'll see how he does tomorrow night." If Saunders impresses, he might not make the active roster, but at least the Colgate product could be the first name to watch as a member of the practice squad.
OT Sam Hagen Everyone knows that offensive linemen Keylan Rutledge and Febechi Nwaiwu should make the squad after being top 120 picks. Hagen, who has been impressive in camp, is currently on the outside looking in. It's hard to keep more than four active tackles on a roster. Right now, Tay Ersery, Trent Brown and Braden Smith are locks to play this fall, but Hagen's potential in pass protection could give him an edge over third-year option Blake Fisher. The former Notre Dame star iis fighting for a spot on the team and Hagen's upside could push him out of the spotlight. “Sam has done a great job," Ryans said last week. "We've moved Sam around from guard to tackle. He's played both spots and he's done a good job competing. I’m excited to see him go play in the games. Overall, Sam has come in, he's worked hard every single day, doing everything we asked him to do.” Hagen's position flexibility could also give him the upper hand over several other players leading into the long-term status of Houston's run.
P Kai Kroeger Is it weird to put a punter on the list over several other options? Maybe, but the Texans recently cut rookie Jack Stonehouse in favor of Kroeger. For now, the former Sants starter is the guy. He plans to be the guy through at least Thursday night. After that, Ryans never said he would be in the building for the long-term. "He's done a very good job of being consistent out here in practice and I just wanted to get our operation as clean as possible with the same three guys working together, getting us ready to go for the season," Ryans said. Kroeger struggled mightily during his time with the Saints, including leading the NFL with two blocked punts. He'll need to have better timing, hang time and precision to win the starting job, something that has looked like a problem at times in camp. Stonehouse was one of college football's top punters last season. He's also still a free agent and has ties to Houston. A bad performance from Kroeger and perhaps the Texans can mull over the call in favor of the rookie. This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans vs. Chargers: Six players to watch in preseason Game 1