DGDB&D: a Texans blog.

Projected Roster as of 8/14/07

Aug 14, 2007 Athletes who don't stab people, Batman, Chocodiles, DeMeco Ryans, Demarcus Faggins sucks, Dunta Robinson, Mark Bruener, Offensive (punch)Line, Posts that list too many players, Preseason 2007, Preview, Super Mario, The Fred, The Schaub Experiment

One thing that is becoming clear under Kubiak is that the roster is a very dynamic thing through training camp. A guy can be a starter one day and on the verge of not making the team the next week, all based on performance–either a lack of his own performance or an increase in the level of play by his competitors. You need look no further than Shantee Orr for an example of this. So, keeping that in mind, I thought it would be interesting to track the perceived 53-man roster as we go through these preseason games. Yes, I am that bored right now.

Anyway, using the same numbers as we took last year into week 1, who would be on the roster if the season started today? (* denotes the player is a lock to make the team)

QB (2)- Matt Schaub*, Sage Rosenfels* (Jared Zabransky on the practice squad. Bradlee Van Pelt mercifully taken out behind the barn and shot. Quinton Porter cut.)

RB/FB (5)- Ahman Green*, Ron Dayne*, Vonta Leach*, Jon Abbate, Wali Lundy (Sam Gado just misses the cut. Darius Walker continues to not be good. Patrick Pass is a poor man’s Chris Taylor, so he’s gone. Jameel Cook not invited back after last season’s debacles.)

WR (5)- Andre Johnson*, Jacoby Jones*, Kevin Walter*, Jerome Mathis, Andre Davis. (The last two positions here are some of the most up-in-the-air spots on the roster. If Mathis stays healthy through camp and keeps playing like he did Saturday, I think that spot is his to lose. The last slot will be between Davis and Keenan McCardell most likely, though I suppose Charlie Adams could make some noise before it’s all said and done. David Anderson is too small and Bethel Johnson is superfluous if Davis/Mathis are healthy. Much like the Rodents of Unusual Size, I’m pretty sure Harry Williams doesn’t actually exist.)

OL (9)- Eric Winston*, Chester Pitts*, Fred Weary*, Ephraim Salaam*, Mike Flanagan*, Steve McKinney*, Kasey Studdard, Kevin Barry, Jordan Black. (Just missing the cut: Scott Jackson, Drew Hodgdon and Brandon Frye. Which sucks, because it means that Turnstile just made the cut. After Saturday night’s performance, though, I can see him being on a pretty short leash at this point, so maybe we still get lucky and Black gets the boot. Chris White and Mike Brisiel get sent packing.)

TE (4)- Owen Daniels*, Jeb Putzier*, and Mark Bruener*. (I really don’t think they’ll carry four this year, though, which means they can carry an extra person somewhere else. If they go with one more at WR, that gets McCardell in for sure. I, for one, am excited about some two TE packages with Daniels and the Jebster.)

K (1)- Kris Brown*.

P (1)- Matt Turk. (Chad Stanley is gone. Praise Jesus.)

DL (9)- Mario Williams*, Amobi Okoye*, Anthony Weaver*, Anthony Maddox*, Jason Babin*, ND Kalu*, Travis Johnson, Jeff Zgonina, and Earl Cochran. (I think Babin nailed down his roster spot with that showing on Saturday. In reality, Zgonina is probably a lock, if only because I can’t see anyone on the roster who is suddenly going to unseat him, but we’ll leave him as working for the job for now. Cochran was doing a lot to solidify his spot before he got flagged for the penalty that lost the damned game. Thomas Johnson and Alfred Malone could surprise some people and make this roster, but I don’t think DelJuan Robinson, Cedric Killings, Tim Bulman, or Victor DeGrate can. Also, rumors that Tim Bulman is the “Tim” behind BRB are likely false.)

LB (6)- DeMeco Ryans*, Morlon Greenwood*, Charlie Anderson*, Shawn Barber*, Danny Clark, Zac Diles. (Shantee Orr is odd-manned out here, as Clark brings MLB/SLB versatility and Diles is shaping up to be a special teams beast. I’m a pro-Shantee guy, but I like the six guys ahead of him as a unit. Trent Bray also will not make the team, which is not even surprising to his wife and mother.)

CB (6)- Dunta Robinson*, Demarcus Faggins*, Fred Bennett*, Jamar Fletcher*, Roc Alexander, Dexter McCleon. (With Von Hutchins moving to safety, Dexter Wynn is left out of this sextet.)

S (4)- C.C. Brown*, Von Hutchins*, Jason Simmons*, Brandon Harrison. (Brandon Mitchell and John Walker are left out if we only keep 4 safeties. However, given the flux at that position right now, I would not be surprised if we kept 5 CBs and 5 Safeties, in which case Mitchell would get in. This would actually be preferable in my mind, if only because Hutchins really gives you a sixth CB if need be, anyway.)

Long Snapper (1)- Bryan Pittman*. (Why the hell can’t we find a guy who can long snap and play a real position? I think I heard mention that Zgonina was a LS, though, so maybe he does some dual duty and we can carry 6 CBs and 5 Safeties?)