One Development to Watch Closely During Texans Training Camp

That'll lead to this Texans coaching staff rolling out a good share of combinations in terms of five-man starting units throughout the next few weeks, with the primary goal of finding the best collective group to enter Week 1 with.

Where the Position Battles Will Lie on the O-Line

The center position will be the position with the most individual contenders to get the call-up. Of course, Rutledge will be one of them, and the most likely to win out simply because of his stock as a first-round pick.

However, last year's starter in Jake Andrews is still on the roster and will be eager to keep that spot for a second season. You've also got other versatile linemen down the depth chart like Evan Brown, Jarrett Patterson, and Febechi Nwaiwu who can play center and will be competing for a second-string opportunity themselves.

At right tackle, Braden Smith will be fully healthy after missing OTAs and minicamp due to recovering from his neck injury from last season. But his starting spot isn't quite guaranteed.

Trent Brown took all of his reps as the first-team right tackle during Houston's offseason program, and if the coaching staff likes the guy they went undefeated with as their starter on the right side last season (7-0), maybe they'll run it back with him in that same role if he does well in camp.

Then you've got left guard, which feels like an easy spot for Wyatt Teller to fill in, but even his place isn't guaranteed. If he stumbles in his switch over from right guard, Rutledge could assume that spot while someone like Andrews moves into the starting center role, then move Teller down to second string.

Bottom Line

So the competition in this group will be fierce through the weeks ahead. And in doing so, the Texans are going to roll out multiple five-man units to see what each unit can put together, and which might be the best performing.

Once you see the Texans continue to roll with the same five-man group throughout multiple days in a row at practice, that could be a sign that Houston's found their crew to roll with. But digging up that verdict will take some time to do. So keep a close watch once camp kicks off later next week.