No preseason makes cuts harder
Virus puts premium on versatility as roster trimming draws near
During unprecedented times created by the coronavirus, NFL coaches have been forced to make changes in their training camp routines, including evaluating their rosters without the benefit of preseason games or joint practices with other teams.
As the Texans prepare for their first game Sept. 10 at Kansas City, where last season ended with a disappointing playoff loss to the Chiefs, coach Bill O’Brien and executive vice president of football operations Jack Easterby have formulated a plan for this week.
No matter how good O’Brien and Easterby feel about their team that hasn’t had a positive test for COVID-19, they know the virus always looms in the background and affects so many of their decisions.
Rosters must be reduced to 53 by Saturday at 3 p.m. If players clear waivers, they can be signed the next day to the practice squad, which will include 16 members — an increase from the usual 10 because of the pandemic.
There are changes to injured reserve as well. Teams can activate an unlimited number of players from IR this year, but they have to miss at least three games if they’re placed on the list.
When the COVID-19 protocols were instigated, teams had no idea how they would be affected. The job the NFL has done keeping players and personnel healthy has been phenomenal. The Texans’ brain trust hopes that doesn’t change in the regular season, but is taking steps to be prepared when putting together the roster.
“That’s definitely part of the conversation,” O’Brien said
about the virus on a Zoom conference call. “It’s hard because there’s a lot of unknowns. We’ve actually created a really good bubble here, like a lot of teams have. Knock on wood, we’ve had no positives.”
O’Brien credited the medical staff — Dr. James Muntz, director of medical administration Geoff Kaplan, and head athletic trainer Roland Ramirez — with doing an exceptional job overseeing the protocols and the changes players have adjusted to at NRG Stadium.
“They’ve done an unbelievable job of educating these (players),” O’Brien said. “Give the guys credit — our staff and players — but when the regular season starts, I think that’s a different conversation. You have to make sure that you have your bases covered as best you can.
“At certain positions, you’re going to think about, ‘If something happened where three or four guys contracted the virus, do you have the right depth there? Do you have the right guys in the right spot? Do you have the right guys on the 53? The right guys on the practice squad? The right guys on the gameday roster?’ That’s definitely something you think about.”
Making roster decisions is
more difficult without preseason games, but every team faces the same predicament.
“It’s definitely challenging, but it’s not like you’re the only team doing it,” O’Brien said. “You’ve got to go off of practice. We’re trying to do that. We’re putting guys in position. We’re trying to have high-tempo practices where we can really evaluate.”
Those high-tempo practices, including a third scrimmage Wednesday night, involve going up and down the field with O’Brien calling out situations — down, distance and yard line. Offensive coordinator Tim Kelly and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver make calls based on the situation. That helps them evaluate the players on a daily basis.
“The one thing we try to do probably more than in years past is to actually drive the ball,” O’Brien said. “It’s more about sustained drives, more plays where we can try to get into a rhythm. Sometimes defensively, they get mad at me because I may say, ‘Yeah, it was a sack, but I want to keep this drive going’ — a 12-play drive or a 13-play drive so guys can work hard to get into football shape.
“It’s a little different on special teams. You’ve got to concentrate on the unit. You also can incorporate
those in the scrimmages like we did (Thursday).”
Each night, O’Brien, Easterby, director of player personnel Matt Bazirgan and the coordinators meet and talk about the roster.
“That’s probably the last thing we do every night before we leave,” O’Brien said. “We go through each guy on the roster and (ask) how does that guy fit relative to the 53, game-day roster and practice squad.
“Then you go out the next day, and somebody has a good day at a certain position, and you’re like, ‘Oh, you could do this.’ Some of the questions you ask yourself: Does this guy have practice squad eligibility? Where is this guy contractually?
“There’s a lot that goes into those decisions. You’re trying to pick the best 53. Obviously, it changes throughout the year based on injuries or moves you may decide to make.”
This is O’Brien’s seventh year with the Texans. He’s never had a more experienced team entering a season.
“I don’t think there’s any substitute for experience,” he said. “We have some really good young players that are working hard to get better, but when it comes to no preseason games and the first game is the real game, I think having guys with experience helps.”
Some things never change, though. Versatility is always important to coaches, especially at a time when the threat of COVID-19 is the great unknown.
“At some positions, we try to build a versatile roster with guys that can do different things,” O’Brien said. “We’re still working on that.”
It’s going to be interesting to see how the Texans approach the waiver wire to claim players or sign veteran free agents who have been released. Players on the street haven’t played a game since last season.
“Obviously, it’ll have an effect,” O’Brien said. “You don’t have (preseason) tape. We study. We try to do the best job we can of watching previous tape of a player and understand who the player is when the waiver wire comes out every day.
“I mean, it’s a little different this year, and there are a lot of unknowns. I think you’re always learning something.”
The Texans will learn how good they might be in nine days when they return to Arrowhead Stadium, where last season ended in such bitter and embarrassing fashion.