Guessing The Texans’ First 2018 Regular Season Depth Chart

Let’s keep the conversation going. This time we want to talk about the Texans’ expected depth chart for the 2018 regular season. Let’s fill out the following offensive, defensive, and special teams positions.

Offense: LT, LG, C, RG, RT, TE1, TE2, WR1, WR2, WR3, QB, RB1, RB2

Defense: LE, NT, RE, LOLB, LILB, RILB, ROLB, CB1, CB2, CB2, FS, SS, S3

Special Teams: KR, PR

Here’s our best guesses.

Matt Weston:

Offense: LT Juli’en Davenport, LG Senio Kelemete, C Nick Martin, RG Zach Fulton, RT Jeff Allen, TE1 Stephen Anderson, TE2 Jordan Akins, WR1 DeAndre Hopkins, WR2 Will Fuller V, WR3 Keke Coutee, QB Deshaun Watson, RB1 Lamar Miller, RB2 D’Onta Foreman.

Martinas Rankin is injured and will eventually take over the starting spot at right tackle. This is more of a hopeful thing because I fully expect Seantrel Henderson to be a Kendall Lamm level disaster. I’m more okay with the Texans’ offensive line than most. I watched THE FILM. Right tackle is a disaster with Rankin’s foot injury, but hopefully he can recover to play earlier than later. I’m not expecting anything from Braxton Miller ever again. It’s one of those things that has to happen before it happens.

Defense: LE Christian Covington, NT D.J. Reader, RE J.J. Watt, LOLB Jadeveon Clowney, LILB Zach Cunningham, RILB Benardrick McKinney, ROLB Whitney Mercilus, CB1 Aaron Colvin, CB2 Johnathan Joseph, CB2 Kevin Johnson/Kareem Jackson, FS Justin Reid, SS Tyrann Mathieu, S3 Kareem Jackson.

I have no idea who is going to play where and how often as of right now, but I don’t think that matters much at all. It should be a fluid defense. Like the tide coming in and out. What’s important is going to be the pass rush.

Special Teams: KR Keke Coutee, PR Will Fuller V.

Pretty good!

Kenneth Levy:

Offense: LT Julie’n Davenport, LG Zach Fulton, C Greg Mancz, RG Nick Martin, RT Martinas Rankin, TE1 Stephen Anderson, TE2 Jordan Atkins, WR1 DeAndre Hopkins, WR2 Will Fuller V, WR3 Bruce Ellington, QB Deshaun Watson, RB1 Lamar Miller, RB2: D’Onta Foreman.

Defense: LE J.J. Watt, NT D.J. Reader, ROLB/RE Jadeveon Clowney, LOLB Whitney Mercilus, LILB Benardrick McKinney, RILB Zach Cunningham, CB1 Aaron Colvin, CB2 Johnathan Joseph, CB3 Kevin Johnson, FS Justin Reid, SS Tyrann Mathieu, S3 Kareem Jackson.

Special Teams: KR Keke Coutee, PR Tyler Ervin.

*Cracks knuckles and rubs hands together in excitement*

I am wary of several things on offense. First, I do not think Senio Kelemete can outwork Greg Mancz or Nick Martin. Also, I could see Rankin playing center, Martin playing guard, and Henderson playing LT. UGH, I hate this offensive line.

Second, I fear Foreman’s injury will severely limit him. I think Foreman will be RB2A and Tyler Ervin will basically be RB2B. On defense, Clowney will turn into a premiere rusher and covet blindside positioning. Romeo Crennel will have a base-nickel strategy that will rival a 3 DL - 8 stand up offense that rotates players and formations.

Jeremy Brener:

Offense: LT Julie’n Davenport, LG Senio Kelemete, C Nick Martin, RG Greg Mancz, RT Seantrel Henderson, TE Stephen Anderson, TE2 Jordan Akins, WR1 DeAndre Hopkins, WR2 Will Fuller, WR3 Keke Coutee, QB Deshaun Watson, RB1 Lamar Miller, RB2 D’Onta Foreman.

Ryan Griffin is a cap casualty. Lengel is a better blocking TE, and we need one, considering Anderson is more of a receiving TE. Akins is a better receiver than blocker. Braxton Miller is cut because Coutee is younger and faster than him; Chris Thompson beats Miller out for the final spot. Greg Mancz has a great camp and is able to snag the guard starting spot over Jeff Allen, but the RG slot is interchangeable. Rankin has the ability to switch with Henderson later in the season.

Defense: LE J.J. Watt, NT D.J. Reader, RE Christian Covington, ROLB Jadeveon Clowney, ILB Benardrick McKinney, ILB2 Zach Cunningham, LOLB Whitney Mercilus, CB1 Aaron Colvin, CB2 Johnathan Joseph, CB3 Kevin Johnson, FS Tyrann Mathieu, SS Kareem Jackson, S3 Justin Reid.

I feel like most of this is self-explanatory. Hopefully Kevin Johnson has a contract year like A.J. Bouye did, though I highly doubt it. Justin Reid will take over for Kareem by Week 6. The team rolls with the same guys it did last year, minus the safeties and with Colvin instead of Kareem, who slides in at safety.

Special Teams: KR Chris Thompson, PR Keke Coutee.

I’d put Fuller here because he is the best returner by far, but they don’t want to run the risk of him getting hurt.

Diehard Chris:

Offense: LT Juli’en Davenport, LG Senio Kelemete, C Nick Martin, RG Zach Fulton, RT Seantrel Henderson (due to the Martinas Rankin injury), TE1 Ryan Griffin (because Bill O’Brien allegedly hates rookies), TE2 Stephen Anderson (because O’Brien allegedly hates rookies), WR1 DeAndre Hopkins, WR2 Will Fuller V, WR3 Bruce Ellington (did a nice job last year even though I’d rather have Coutee here), QB Deshaun Watson, RB1 Lamar Miller (more and more noise that Foreman won’t be able to go), RB2 Foreman (if he’s ready; if not, Terry Swanson).

Defense: LE Christian Covington, NT DJ Reader, RE J.J. Watt, LOLB Jadeveon Clowney, LILB Zach Cunningham, RILB Benardrick McKinney, ROLB Whitney Mercilus, CB1 Aaron Colvin, CB2 Johnathan Joseph, CB2 Kevin Johnson, FS Justin Reid, SS Tyrann Mathieu, S3 Kareem Jackson.

Special Teams: KR Keke Coutee (hoping against all hope), PR Fuller V.

Mike Bullock:

Offense: LT Juli’en Davenport, LG Senio Kelemete, C Nick Martin, RG Zach Fulton, RT Seantrel Henderson/Martinas Rankin, TE1 Stephen Anderson, TE2 Ryan Griffin/Jordan Akins, WR1 DeAndre Hopkins, WR2 Will Fuller, WR3 Keke Coutee, QB Deshaun Watson, RB1 Lamar Miller/Adrian Peterson, RB2 D’Onta Foreman.

Defense: LE J.J. Watt, NT D.J. Reader, RE Christian Covington, ROLB Jadeveon Clowney, RILB Zach Cunningham, LILB Benardrick McKinney, LOLB Whitney Mercilus, CB1 Johnathan Joseph/Kevin Johnson, CB2 Aaron Colvin, CB3 Kevin Johnson, FS Kareem Jackson, SS Tyrann Mathieu, S3 Justin Reid.

Special Teams: KR Keke Coutee, PR Keke Coutee/Will Fuller.

BONUS PREDICTION: ROSTER CHANGES

CUTS: Jeff Allen, Tyler Ervin.

SIGN/TRADE FOR: Adrian Peterson, Earl Thomas/Eddie Pleasant (This is an optimist/pragmatist call here at safety)

Depth Chart FALL: D’Onta Foreman, Braxton Miller.

Depth Chart RISE: Duke Ejiofor.

What do you agree or disagree with in these guesses?