Yes. Yes, it can.
After Monday Night Football against the New York Jets, I thought I would take a crack at assembling a 53-man roster for your Houston Texans. I admit that it was not an easy process. I had to leave off about four guys that I would be hoping made it to the practice squad, but that's life in the NFL I suppose. The messy results and explanation await you after the jump.
QB - Matt Schaub/Matt Leinart/
They are the only three quarterbacks on the team and each plays a key role on the 53-man roster. Schaub's the unquestioned starter, Leinart's the capable back-up (How's that taste, Orlovsky?), and Yates is the developmental emergency project.
RB - Arian Foster/Derrick Ward/Ben Tate
I imagine Steve Slaton is cut or traded due to not having a role on the team. I hope Tate will get healthy and show what he's made of, and I stupidly hope Chris Ogbonnaya makes it through waivers. I cannot see the Texans abandoning a second-round rookie in his second year.
FB - Lawrence Vickers/James Casey
Ol' Coach Kubiak might platoon both fullbacks to ease on wear and tear over the course of a season. Versatility is going to be the key difference in a lot of roster spot battles. Casey can long-snap, play special teams, and line up at tight end, H-Back, and fullback.
WR - Andre Johnson/Kevin Walter/Jacoby Jones/Dorin Dickerson/Lestar Jean
The top four receivers need no explanation. If Lestar Jean continues to impress in practice and during games, then he will also require no explanation. Jeff Maehl and Terrence Toliver are my practice squad hopes out of this group.
TE - Owen Daniels/Joel Dreessen/Garrett Graham
Anthony Hill, I think it's time for you to get sit on someone else's injured reserve list.
OT - Duane Brown/Eric Winston/Rashad Butler
I love that we have experienced linemen. I really do. Cole Pemberton and Derek Newton, hit the practice squad.
OG - Wade Smith/Mike Brisiel/Antoine Caldwell/Shelley Smith
I hope we have seen the last of Kasey Studdard with his injury. I also think Shelley Smith is very underrated, so hopefully he can get some snaps to show how much better he is than Studdard. Caldwell and the Smiths can also swing to play center should anything happen there, so we have some versatility built in.
C - Chris Myers
The underrated Myers continues to roll solo as the only true center on the roster. At some point, I would like the Texans to pick up a late round kid to groom, as losing Myers could cause more problems than one would think.
DE - J.J. Watt/Antonio Smith/Damione Lewis/Tim Bulman/Tim Jamison
You need good defensive line depth, so I'm picking five here. Aside from Lewis, I can tell you at least one good play that each of the defensive ends made on Monday night. Three of them can also slide in and play defensive tackle in a nickel defense.
NT - Earl Mitchell/Shaun Cody
I wish there was a third body here, but these two are really the only locks at NT on the roster. Let's hope Earl Mitchell doesn't ever get hurt or that roster cuts force another team to part with a solid NT.
ILB - DeMeco Ryans/Brian Cushing/Xavier Adibi/Darryl Sharpton
I never thought I'd say this, but I'm driving the Adibi Bandwagon. No player looked better on Monday night in my eyes. I can't wait to get another look at Adibi with the first-team defense come Saturday.
OLB - Mario Williams/Connor Barwin/Brooks Reed/Jesse Nading/Bryan Braman
Wild Braman might force Kubiak's hand here. He was too impactful to be left to the waiver wire. He will be a lock if he can bring that energy to special teams. Steven Friday is a guy I hope can make the practice squad, as I liked him during the draft season and on Monday night.
CB - Johnathan Joseph/Jason Allen/Kareem Jackson/Brandon Harris/Brice McCain/Sherrick McManis
Roc Carmichael may be a IR stash or practice squader because this position is crowded with big-name veterans and high draft picks. McManis could also find his way to safety with his skill set, but I can't see any of these six guys not being on the roster. The competition for snaps on the back-end should help keep everyone's efforts up.
S - Glover Quin/Danieal Manning/Troy Nolan/Shiloh Keo
Keo better improve his tackling or else he could be practice squad fodder. You cannot play special teams in the NFL if you cannot tackle. The other three are locks, barring a miraculous performance by Torri Williams or Quintin Demps.
ST - Neil Rackers, Brett Hartmann, Jon Weeks
The rookie wins the punting competition in week one, in part due to his kickoff leg. Rackers and Weeks can coast until September 11th. For Weeks' sake, he better hope that there's not an extreme excess amount of talent impressing because Dreessen and Casey can both long-snap.
There's my take on the 53-man roster. Am I wrong? Am I right? Let me know in the comments, BRB faithful.