The final week of the preseason is upon us.
Thursday night's game at NRG Stadium versus the Cowboys is the final one before the Week 1 opener at New England. A chunk of the Texans roster won't see a minute of action against Dallas. A spot is secure on the team, and that portion of the team gets rested for the Patriots.
But there are 90 men on the current roster, and in five short days it'll get trimmed down to 53. So for many, how they perform Thursday evening will determine whether or not they make the final cut, which comes at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday.
"Very important," head coach Bill O'Brien said Monday. "It's a tough week. Certainly there are some guys that are on the team. But the majority of guys are fighting for a spot. That's the majority of the team. That's a tough week for those guys."
Livelihoods will change. O'Brien said he doesn't relish having to make those cuts, but acknowledged that it's part of the job.
"Relative to me, any time you have to release a player, that's not fun," O'Brien said. "These guys have really worked hard for us but everybody in the League works under the same rules."
The Texans and Cowboys will kick off at 7 p.m. Thursday.
The Houston Texans roster in photos. (Updated 3/2/2021)
ILB, Tyrell Adams #50
TE, Jordan Akins, 88
DT, Auzoyah Alufohai, #98
P, Bryan Anger, 9
CB, Cornell Armstrong, 30
C/G, Beau Benzschawel #62
DT, Ross Blacklock #90
ILB, Curtis Bolton #47
DT, Andrew Brown, #97
TE Pharaoh Brown #85
C, Cohl Cabral #72
WR, Randall Cobb #18
ILB, Dylan Cole, 51
CB, Gareon Conley, 22
WR, Brandin Cooks #13
WR, Isaiah Coulter #82
WR, Keke Coutee, 16
CB, Keion Crossen, 35
ILB, Zach Cunningham, 41
DE, Brandon Dunn, 92
OLB, Duke Ejiofor, 53
ILB, Kyle Emanuel, 56
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, 7
TE, Darren Fells, 87
G, Hjalte Froholdt #77
OL, Zach Fulton, 73
CB, Phillip Gaines #29
FB, Cullen Gillaspia, 44
OLB, Jonathan Greenard #52
ILB, Nate Hall, 48
NT, P.J. Hall #96
WR, Chad Hansen, #17
CB, Vernon Hargreaves III #26
T, Charlie Heck #67
RB, Dontrell Hilliard, #22
OL, Tytus Howard, 71
RB, Buddy Howell, 38
RB, David Johnson #31
CB, Lonnie Johnson, Jr., 32
T, Roderick Johnson #63
LS, Anthony Kukwa #45
LB, Jacob Martin, 54
QB, AJ McCarron #2
LB, Benardrick McKinney, 55
OLB, Whitney Mercilus, 59
WR, Steven Mitchell, Jr., 11
S, A.J. Moore, 33
S Eric Murray #23
DE, Charles Omenihu, 94
S, Jonathan Owens, 36
RB, Scottie Phillips, #40
G/T Brent Qvale #76
WR, Damion Ratley, #19
CB, John Reid #34
S, Justin Reid, 20
OLB, Brennan Scarlett, 57
OL, Max Scharping, 74
S, Michael Thomas #28
TE, Kahale Warring, 81
DL, Carlos Watkins, 91
QB, Deshaun Watson, 4
LS, Jon Weeks #46
