"Even though my rating is 99 on a video game, I’ve got to go out and prove it every day." DeAndre Hopkins
The Houston Texans took training camp indoors on Friday at the Houston Methodist Training Center as DeAndre Hopkins made his debut off the PUP list. The All-Pro receiver missed just one day of camp before returning to the practice field.
"I think it's great," head coach Bill O'Brien said. "I mean, any time you have one of your best players out there active in practice, doing some things. We'll keep building his reps as we move forward here."
The Texans secondary was fired up after some big plays during team drills. A.J. Moore and Bradley Roby each had an interception as communication in a revamped secondary continues to improve.
The running back competition will heat up on Saturday as the team practices in full pads for the first time. Lamar Miller and D'Onta Foreman "are running well," according to O'Brien, while a handful of veterans and rookies are competing for a roster spot behind them.
The Texans signed eight-year veteran punter Brian Anger this week to bring some competition for Trevor Daniel, now in his second season.
"We think Trevor is a really good, young punter," O'Brien said. "Trevor did some good things for us last year but I always think completion is healthy. I really do. I think it's healthy in a lot of spots, and I think, especially at the punter spot, I think it brings out the best in both guys."
Johnson Bademosi says he talks a lot of trash and really enjoys doing so with one particular player.
This season, Hopkins is reunited with former teammate and mentor Andre Johnson, serving as a special advisor to the head coach. The two were warming up together before practice began.
"I've still got a lot of respect for Andre, even though he's not out here," Hopkins said. "I run a rep and I ask him how I looked, and he'll tell me because I know he's going to give me an honest opinion. I still feel like Andre had the best season as a Houston Texans wide receiver, so I still feel like I'm trying to beat that."
Tashaun Gipson Sr. played against Deshaun Watson during his time with the AFC South rival Jacksonville Jaguars, but seeing him every day in practice has the veteran safety even more impressed.
"Playing against him, you are taught to expose a guy's weaknesses and things like that, but when you're going against him every day you start noticing his strengths," Gipson said. "I had to look back and say, 'this dude doesn't have a weakness.' He can hurt you with his feet, he can hurt you with his arm. He's just so confident back there right now."
Texans training camp continues on Saturday at the Houston Methodist Training Center.
