Houston faces New Orleans this weekend in the team’s third preseason game. While the game will mostly be about getting the starters ready for the regular season, there will still be a few fringe players looking to make an impression on the coaching staff, especially on special teams.
The roster is mostly set, but there are a few position battles that will play themselves out over the final two preseason games. Here’s a look at three players who are on the bubble:
- Trindon Holliday (WR, 3rd year, has appeared in one game) -- Holliday battled injuries in his first two seasons, but he is healthy and making a big impression in the preseason. He won a national championship at LSU in the 100-meter dash in 2009, clocking a 10.00. Holliday is now putting that speed to use in the return game. He returned a kickoff for a touchdown against Carolina and then a punt for a touchdown against San Francisco. He’d be a lock to make the team if he contributed in other areas outside the return game. As of now, his returns look like they’re enough to get him on the roster.
- Shayne Graham (PK, 12th year, made Pro Bowl in 2005) -- Graham is the fourth-most accurate kicker in NFL history. He has made 85.9% of his field goals in his career. However, Graham has played for six different teams since 2009, and Houston brought him in to challenge rookie Randy Bullock, the team’s fifth round draft pick out of Texas A&M. So far, Graham has kicked really well in the preseason, but the Texans could very easily go with the younger player, who has also kicked well.
- John Beck (QB, 6th year, 7 career starts) -- Beck has started seven games in his NFL career and has a terrible record of 0-7. Just last year, Redskins coach Mike Shanahan was heaping praise on Beck and gave him the starting job in Week 6. Then, Beck went 0-3 as the starter, throwing for two touchdowns and four interceptions. Now, Beck is in a battle for the No. 3 quarterback in Houston with rookie Case Keenum. Beck’s experience could end up winning out in the end, but it is still far from decided.
Follow Texans blogger Sean Bielawski on Twitter, @CBSSportsNFLHOU.