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.
DL, Mario Addison, #97
QB, Kyle Allen, #3
DB, Grayland Arnold, #35
TE, Antony Auclair, #83
WR, Chad Beebe
DL, Ross Blacklock, #90
DL, Thomas Booker, #56
OL, Justin Britt, #68
DB, Terrence Brooks, #8
TE, Pharaoh Brown, #85
RB, Rex Burkhead, #28
WR, Jalen Camp, #17
OL, A.J. Cann, #60
LB, Blake Cashman, #53
DL, Maliek Collins, #96
WR, Nico Collins, #12
WR, Chris Conley, #18
WR, Brandin Cooks, #13
OL, Myron Cunningham, #72
DL, Damion Daniels, #93
LB, Tae Davis, #19
OL, Austin Deculus, #76
WR, Phillip Dorsett, #4
QB, Jeff Driskel, #6
DL, Michael Dwumfour, #98
RB, B.J. Emmons, #44
WR, Drew Estrada, #81
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, #7
DB, Jacobi Francis, #38
RB, Royce Freeman, #26
OL, Kenyon Green, #59
DL, Rasheem Green, #92
TE, Seth Green, #87
DL, Jonathan Greenard, #52
LB, Kamu Grugier-Hill, #51
LB, Troy Hairston, #34
LB, Jake Hansen, #49
LB, Christian Harris, #48
DL, Demone Harris, #94
OL, Charlie Heck, #67
LB, Neville Hewitt, #43
DL, Kurt Hinish, #69
OL, Tytus Howard, #71
DL, Jerry Hughes, #55
FB, Andy Janovich, #41
DL, Jordan Jenkins, #50
WR, Johnny Johnson III, #89
P, Cameron Johnston, #11
TE, Brevin Jordan, #9
DB, Desmond King II, #25
LB, Christian Kirksey, #58
DL, Roy Lopez, #91
RB, Marlon Mack, #2
WR, John Metchie III, #88
DB, Tristin McCollum, #39
OL, Justin McCray, #64
QB, Davis Mills, #10
WR, Chris Moore, #15
DB, Fabian Moreau, #22
OL, Jimmy Morrissey, #79
DB, Eric Murray, #23
DB, Steven Nelson, #21
DL, Adedayo Odeleye, #75
OL, Cedric Ogbuehi, #77
RB, Dare Ogunbowale, #33
DL, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, #45
DB, Jonathan Owens, #36
RB, Dameon Pierce, #31
LB, Kevin Pierre-Louis, #57
FB, Paul Quessenberry, #40
OL, Scott Quessenberry, #54
TE, Teagan Quitoriano, #84
LB, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, #44
DL, Derek Rivers, #95
(AP Photo/AJ Mast)
OL, Max Scharping, #74
DB, Kendall Sheffield, #27
DB, Tremon Smith, #1
OL, Jordan Steckler, #70
DB, M.J. Stewart, #29
DB, Derek Stingley Jr., #24
DB, Tavierre Thomas, #37
OL, Laremy Tunsil, #78
OL, Tre'Vour Wallace-Simms, #73
LB, Garret Wallow, #32
WR, Connor Wedington, #82
LS, Jon Weeks #46
DB, Isaac Yiadom, #20
