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Big decisions have been happening with the Houston Texans for the past couple of months. The team fired head coach David Culley after a 4-13 season, bringing Lovie Smith as a replacement, and traded away embattled franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns.
Now, with just one more preseason game to play, the Texans are close to making their final decisions for their 2022 roster and depth chart. Houston will face the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, and it could be the last chance for some players to show they belong in the starting lineup.
With that being said, here are two Texans backups who can steal a first-string job ahead of 2022 NFL season.
Houston Texans backups who can steal a first-string job in 2022
2. TE Brevin Jordan
A five-star recruit out of high school, Brevin Jordan spent three years with the Miami Hurricanes before going pro. In college, he made an impact right away, starting all but one game as a true freshman. For his collegiate career, he accumulated 105 receptions for 1,358 yards and 13 touchdowns.
All those numbers made the Texans select the tight end in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Jordan had limited time on the field, but he made a good impression. In nine games, starting two of them, he had 20 catches for 178 yards and three touchdowns.
Now entering his second year in the league, Jordan has a real shot at getting a more meaningful role on the team, perhaps even becoming a starter.
The current TE1 is Pharaoh Brown. A member of the Texans since 2020, Brown started 12 of the 15 games he played last season. He registered 23 catches for 171 yards but failed to score. For his four-year NFL career, he has only two total touchdowns.
With Jordan's performance as a rookie, it would not be a surprise if Smith goes with the younger option as the Texans rebuild.. Although Brown is a solid blocker, he had 10 offensive penalties in 2021, three being offensive holding.
If Jordan impresses in the preseason finale, he could earn a first-string job early in his career. As for Brown, he might need to increase his offensive numbers if he wants to keep his starting status.
1. LB Christian Harris
Houston selected Christian Harris out of Alabama in the third round of this year's draft. Despite being fresh off college, the high draft investment might mean the organization has big plans for the linebacker right away.
As a junior, Harris totaled 79 tackles, with 12.5 being for loss. He also had 5.5 sacks, four quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles. He was also part of the 2020 national championship team led by Nick Saban.
Currently, Harris is listed as Kevin Pierre-Louis' backup as an outside linebacker. The veteran is entering his second season with the Texans. In 2021, Pierre-Louis played in nine games but only started one of them. He had 10 total tackles with eight being solo, plus a fumble recovery.
Selecting Harris high in the draft might mean Houston is not fully committed to the seven-year veteran. Although he has experience, Pierre-Louis has started in just 13 out of 79 games in his NFL career.
As the regular season approaches, Smith might keep an eye on the rookie. Since the team is rebuilding from the post-Watson era, it could mean young players will learn more on the field than usual.
