Advertisement

Tight end may not be as sparse for Texans it may seem

The Houston Texans are banking on the run game to provide stability for the offense in 2021. That is partially why the team went heavy with five running backs on the active roster.

However, one of the more curious parts of the Texans’ roster is that they are carrying just three tight ends. It is also worth mentioning that among the five running backs the Texans have, none of them are listed as a fullback.

Even though the Texans are heavy at running back and lean at tight end on the active roster, the exceptions with activating practice squad players on game days afford Houston more numbers at tight end than may be readily evident.

One of those practice-squadders Houston may rely on for game days is tight end Antony Auclair.

“Antony is still with us and he’s done a heck of a job for us up to this point and our tight end position has been strong from a depth standpoint and I feel confident that whatever guys we have for us on game day will get the job done and they have done it during the preseason,” coach David Culley said.

The rookie coach is pleased that the NFL is continuing its rules for the practice squad that were put in place in the 2020 season.

Said Culley: “We will have that flexibility and that’s the beauty of how the practice squad is set up in this league that you are able to do that for so many times you can’t do it all year long, you only get to do it so many times but that allows us early to have the flexibility to do that and like I said, Antony along with those other guys that have been hurt we are just going to wait until next week to see where he is at and hopefully he is ready.”

The Texans will have the chance to use Auclair Week 1 when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Sept. 12 at NRG Stadium. Houston also has fullback-tight end Paul Quessenberry on the practice squad.