Andre Johnson won't play on Friday night at Minnesota.
The veteran wide receiver isn't injured, but head coach Gary Kubiak rest Johnson as well as a few other key Texans in the preseason opener against the Vikings.
"For the most part, guys who had no turf work during camp: they will not play," Kubiak said on Wednesday afternoon.
The game will be played inside the H.H.H. Metrodome on the Mall of America Field. According to Vikings.com, the playing surface is Field Turf. For the last few seasons, Kubiak has rarely let Johnson participate in practices on the synthetic turf inside the Houston Methodist Training Center.
Kubiak also said undrafted free agent Justin Tuggle will start at outside linebacker, since starter Whitney Mercilus is nursing a hamstring injury and Brooks Reed is coming back from a bruised knee.
"It's been an adjustment for him, but he's fixing to line up and start," Kubiak said of Tuggle. "He's fixing to play a lot of football."
Addtionally, Kubiak reiterated that running back Ben Tate will start.
"The plan is for him to work with us 10 to 12 plays with the first group," Kubiak said.
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