Texans roster checkup, final cuts edition

The final wave of NFL roster cuts are coming on Saturday, Sep. 4, when rosters go from 75 to 53 players. 

That means it's time for one more Texans roster checkup to see who gets to keep their playbook and who gets a visit from the Turk (and I'm not talking about the Texans punter).

If there is a silver lining to the Brian Cushing suspension, it's that the Texans have a roster exemption for Cushing for the first four weeks, meaning they can keep 53 players and Cushing. 

So let's take a look at the roster, which currently sits at 75 players, and make some guesses as to who's in and who's out. 

Keep in mind that the Texans coaching staff and personnel folks will be meeting Sunday to look over the waiver wire so just because the Texans get down to 53 (54) on Saturday doesn't mean that they couldn't replace one of their own fringe guys with another player that they have scouted and like better.

There's also practice squad offers that will be made when players clear waivers on Monday.  Expect the Texans to fill their practice squad primarily, if not exclusively, with eight of their own first and second year players that have remaining eligibility.  At any rate, the Texans will be cutting 20 players Friday and Saturday and signing as many as 8 practice squad players Monday or Tuesday.   We'll talk more about Anthony Hill later.

In the summary below, you will see two numbers in parenthesis following the position names. The number on the left (in bold with the asterisk) is the current number of players on the roster at that position. The number on the right (in plain text) is the number of players the Texans took into Week 1 of the 2009 season at that position.

While the number on the right isn't absolute in terms of the number of players the Texans will keep at that position, it's a fair enough guide.

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OFFENSE

Wide Receiver (*8, 6): Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Andre Davis, David Anderson, Jacoby Jones, Dorin Dickerson, Bobby Williams, Derrick Townsel

The only question here is whether the Texans keep five or six.  If they keep six, this one is easy - just remove Williams and Townsel from the above list.  If they go with five then Dickerson could supplant Andre Davis on the roster.  I doubt the Texans will expose Dickerson to waivers for the purposes of re-signing him to the practice squad.  Davis has been out with a bruised tailbone.  Steve Slaton and Sherrick McManis have been sharing kickoff returns.

Offensive Line (*14, 9): Duane Brown, Wade Smith, Chris Myers, Mike Brisiel, Eric Winston, Antoine Caldwell, Kasey Studdard, Rashad Butler, Chris White, Adam Stenavich, Brett Helms, Shelley Smith, Steve Maneri, Cole Pemberton

The top eight are Brown, W. Smith, Myers, Brisiel, Winston, Caldwell, Butler, and Studdard.  The #9 spot appears to be a choice between Chris White or Shelley Smith but the Texans could place Smith on the practice squad to start the season.  Smith could eventually replace White or Kasey Studdard.  Helms is a pure backup center and that's bad news for him because Wade Smith and Brisiel can both play center.  I'm fairly sure Stenavich has one more year of practice squad eligibility, even though he's 27 years old.  He has no accrued seasons and has spent only one season on the Texans practice squad.  I get the feeling from Kubiak comments that the Texans aren't satisfied with Stenavich and would like to find a new #4 tackle.  Maneri and Pemberton are both practice squad candidates. 

Tight End (*6, 4): Owen Daniels, Joel Dreessen, James Casey, Anthony Hill (Active PUP), Garrett Graham, Derek Fine.

This one is pretty straightforward.  If they go with four its Daniels, Dreessen, Casey and Graham.  Hill is likely headed for Reserve-PUP which doesn't count against the 53.

Quarterback (*3, 3): Matt Schaub, Dan Orlovsky, John David Booty

Will Gary Kubiak go into the season with just two QB's?  Booty is eligible for the practice squad.

Fullback (*2, 1): Vonta Leach, Jack Corcoran

Leach is a workhorse and a key cog in the Texans offense (and the only fullback to make the 53).  Play Jack Corcoran four quarters against Tampa.

Running Back (*4, 3):  Arian Foster, Steve Slaton, Chris Henry, Jeremiah Johnson

Foster and Slaton are locks and I think Jeremiah Johnson has a very good chance at making the roster.  Henry is very much on the bubble and as I wrote yesterday, the Texans seem to be in the market for another back so don't rule out a waiver claim on Sunday.

DEFENSE

Defensive Line (*12, 9): Antonio Smith, Amobi Okoye, Shaun Cody, Mario Williams, Frank Okam, Deljuan Robinson, Connor Barwin, Jesse Nading, Tim Jamison, Earl Mitchell, Malcolm Sheppard, Mitch Unrein

The top six are Smith, Okoye, Cody, Williams, Barwin, and Mitchell.  I'm guessing they will choose between Frank Okam and Deljuan Robinson for #7.  That leaves two spots for Nading, Jamison and Sheppard.  Nading has been getting plenty of playing time and with Tim Bulman lost for the season he gets to keep his playbook.  Sheppard is a high potential first year player who will make practice squad at a minimum, but might be another risk to expose to waivers.  I'll guess that Jamison is the odd man out on this one.  Unrein got a DNP Saturday night and he's practice squad at best.

Linebacker (*9, 6): Zac Diles, DeMeco Ryans, Brian Cushing (susp), Xavier Adibi, Kevin Bentley, Darryl Sharpton, Danny Clark, Isaiah Greenhouse, Will Patterson

We'll keep seven here since Cushing doesn't count.  That means Greenhouse and Patterson are practice squad candidates and the rest make the 53.  Clark has been slowed by injury and could be the guy released in Week 5 when Cushing returns.

Cornerback (*7, 6): Glover Quin, Kareem Jackson, Jacques Reeves, Antwaun Molden, Brice McCain, Mark Parson, Sherrick McManis

If the Texans keep six corners, it's a choice between Antwaun Molden and Mark Parson.  Flip a coin.  Parson has practice squad eligibility.

Safety (*6, 4): Bernard Pollard, Eugene Wilson, Dom Barber, Troy Nolan, Torri Williams, Nick Polk

If the Texans keep four safeties, this also appears to be a no brainer.  Kubiak has been talking up Troy Nolan lately and Williams and Polk hope for practice squad.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Punter/Kicker/Long Snapper (*4, 2): Matt Turk, Kris Brown, Neil Rackers, Jonathan Weeks

Turk is a lock and it will be Brown or Rackers at kicker.  I can't see the Texans keeping Weeks but have you seen anyone else long snapping in preseason?  Weeks snapped every PAT and FG against Dallas and once Kubiak gets a guy settled in to a position like that, he may not want to change.  Weeks can't play offensive line so it would certainly be a luxury choice to keep him onboard.  But maybe the strategy is to allow Owen Daniels to get in a game groove before asking Joel Dreessen to return to long snapper duty in addition to his regular tight end duty .  If they keep Weeks, it could mean the Texans go into the season with 5 wide receivers.