Winners and losers after two weeks of Texans training camp

USA Today

6 hours ago

Ten days of Houston Texans training camp have wrapped up at the Methodist Training Center. There's been good, bad and indifferent play all around through over a week of action, but the next four practices are pivotal toward building a foundation for the team's future.
After a four-day trip to The Greenbrier in West Virginia, the first test appears on Houston's schedule. It's a preseason game, so don't expect much from starters, but every win or loss could carry weight and a public perception going into Week 1's showdown against Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams.
Several players are peaking at the right time, like Will Anderson Jr. He's not in jeopardy of losing starting reps, but a strong season could warrant a contract that makes him one of the highest-paid defensive ends in league history.
Others have regressed. And yes, those players are fighting for roster spots going into a week of practice at the Greenbrier. As Houston preps for another week of drills, here's Texans Wire's biggest winners and losers of training camp back at home base.
Winner: TE Cade Stover
Texans general manager Nick Caserio mentioned that Stover was the most improved player of the entire offseason, regardless of position group or side of the ball. So far through 10 days of camp, it's hard to argue. Last season, Stover was still getting comfortable learning how to play the position after starting off his career as a linebacker at Ohio State.
Now, the former fourth-round pick is looking more like that security blanket that C.J. Stroud trusted in Columbus amid a College Football Playoff run in 2023. Stover has constantly found himself working with the first-team offense. He looks more comfortable winning his route battles against opposing defenders and has leaned down to become more agile in blocking sets.
Dalton Schultz is going to be the main starter this season, but plan for Stover to have a significant role in Nick Caley's offense this season.
Loser: OT Blake Fisher
It's still early to call it quits on Fisher, but the second-round pick isn't helping his case by avoiding the "b" word after a struggling offseason. When camp broke in mid-July, the former starting right tackle was taking reps solely with the first-team offense. He's been running with 2s since pads came on Monday morning and hasn't even cracked the rotation.
Fisher has experience over rookie Tay Ersery, having started in the team's final six games. They weren't pretty, but reps matter. Sadly, so do penalties, which Fisher has been flagged for multiple times in team drills. What's worse is the sack total. Even names like Darrell Taylor and Solomon Byrd are winning their battles and getting pressure on Stroud during team drills.
Fisher has an uphill battle to reclaim that top spot over Ersery, whom the Texans drafted to be Laremy Tunsil's replacement on the left side. It could be a long season for the once-thought long-term right tackle in H-Town if he continues to struggle.
Winner: DB Calen Bullock
Pick a practice. Literally, any day since camp broke last week. You got it? Bullock has been the most impressive player that morning.
Yes, every morning, Bullock is the one standing out the most. He's already recorded four interceptions against Stroud in drills and has been more physical when asked to play against tight ends in man coverage. On Wednesday, the second-year defensive back went stride-for-stride with Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins to break up a deep post pattern.
Last season, Bullock totaled five interceptions and helped Houston stabilize the back end of its secondary after Jalen Pitre moved into the nickel role. He's a true ball-hawk that's only getting back as a tackler and run-stopper.
Loser: LB Christian Harris
Harris hasn't been on the field, which is why he should be considered a "loser" through two weeks of camp. The Texans elected not to put the fourth-year linebacker on the PUP list for the start of camp after he was limited in OTAs. Theoretically, Harris could show up at practice tomorrow and make this a moot point.
But through two weeks, no one has seen Harris on the field. He's done some work off to the sides, but outside of a couple of glimpes, the linebacker who took over the Texans' defense in 2023 has been absent. That's a massive deal for his future since Henry To'oTo'o and E.J. Speed both have looked promising as the weakside linebacker in drills throughout camp.
No, Harris likely won't be cut since his potential trumps both To'oTo'o and Azeez Al-Shaair, but as he enters the final year of his rookie deal, he needs a solid season to earn a contract extension.
Winner: DE Darrell Taylor
Danielle Hunter and Anderson aren't in jeopardy of losing reps, but teams are always looking for a secondary pass-rusher who can fill in on certain downs. While Derek Barnett has been a fine addition, Taylor looks moe agile and has been blowing past both Tay Ersery and Cam Robinson when rotating in with the first-team defense.
A former part-time starter in Seattle, Taylor averaged six sacks a season with the Seahawks. Last year with Chicago, he only managed to total three, but his pressure rate ranked among the top 10 of non-starting edge rushers. It's been on display throughout drills during team with the second-team unit.
Right now, expect Taylor to be the first man up should Anderson or Hunter need a minute to catch their breath.
Loser: RB Nick Chubb
Let's get this out of the way; no, Chubb isn't a terrible running back who looks overworked after coming off back-to-back season-ending injuries. But the Texans didn't sign Chubb to be the lead back like they did with Joe Mixon. He was supposed to be a solid No. 2 option that could start in a pinch.
Right now, starting Chubb might be the biggest red flag for Houston long-term. So far in camp, that burst needed to get through to the second and third level of the defense is nowhere to be found. Now could some of the blame fall on the offensive line? Perhaps, but you can't put all the blame on the unit in a live game if that's all you got.
Houston needs Mixon to stay healthy. That was evident last season when he missed three games with an ankle injury. The run game was obsolete at best. Right now, it looks to be the same; should Chubb, or really anyone for that matter, be the lead back?
Winner: CB Kamari Lassiter
It's hard to stand out when you're competing for reps opposite an All-Pro cornerback daily, but those at practice have noticed growth in Lassiter in drills. He's won nearly every route in man coverage during team drills when not asked to target Collins. He's also forced a handful of incompletions and has yet to give up a touchdown in coverage since the red zone drills on Tuesday against the Pro Bowler from Michigan.
By the season's end, Lassiter could be considered the league's best No. 2 corner and a rising star among all defenders in the league with his consistency in mirroring receivers and as a tackler in space.
Winner: DB Jaylin Smith
There's a good chance we won't see much of Smith on defense, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been standing out in drills. The third-round pick from USC has worked drills at both safety and outside corner, but a majority of his snaps have come in the nickel position. On Saturday, he broke up a pass intended for Jayden Higgins. He also won his one-on-one battle against Collins during seven-on-seven drills.
Right now, there's no home for Smith. Maybe that's promising since the Texans could have him line up anywhere in a pinch. Expect to see him play a significant amount of snaps on Saturday against the Vikings, often moving from the nickel to the boundary and maybe even some reps in the C.J. Gardner-Johnson role.
Loser: DL Denico Autry
Much like with Harris, Autry's loss is more so because of his availability and growth from other talents. He's a rotational defensive end who probably will only see action on pass-rushing downs when they shift him inside. The problem is that Derek Barnett can do the same thing. So can Taylor, who continues to shine at practice.
No one is picking up Autry's contract after a suspension that cost him six games and a disappointing first year with the roster. In the end, Houston might just cut its losses with Autry, eat the dead money and use what's left over as a starting point for extensions in the offseason.
Winner: WR Jaylin Noel
While he's going to start the season as the No. 2 slot option, Texans fans should feel confident in Noel taking over as the long-term starter in 2026. While working mostly with the second-team offense, he's been far and away the best option on the 2s and perhaps the most impressive rookie.
Noel isn't going to beat Kirk Week 1 for reps, but the offense allows all three of its receivers to rotate in and out of spots on the field. That means if Kirk ends up being a solid fit on the outside of the rookie Higgins, Noel should shift inside with more first-team reps as the starting slot option.
Loser: OL Juice Scruggs
Fisher might not be in jeopardy of losing a roster spot, but Scruggs probably isn't so lucky. In two years, the former second-round pick has gone from starting at guard to starting at center to moving back to guard to now working with the third-team unit behind names like Jaylon Thomas.
Right now, he's still on the roster, but if things continue to sour in drills, Scruggs could be the odd man out on the line with insufficient play. At best right now, Scruggs is depth. Nothing more. Nothing less.