4 big storylines heading into Texans training camp
Players report for Houston Texans training camp on July 27. When the third place finishers in the AFC South regroup at Houston Methodist Training Center to finish their preparations for the 2021 NFL season, the team will have some storylines lingering over them.
Here are the four storylines the Texans will have to contend with as camp opens.
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Will he won't he show to camp? What will the Texans do? What will the NFL do if Watson does show up to camp, what with these 22 sexual assault allegations hanging over his head? The Texans have avoided answering questions about Watson publicly for months, but training camp will force their hand as he is eligible to fines for missing mandatory practices.
2. The COVID-19 vaccine
(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
Although the Texans haven't been in the crosshairs, it will be a subject for at least the first day of camp as former Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins expressed his views on the vaccine, the league's implications for outbreaks among the unvaccinated, and some coaches no longer being employed. There will be curiosity as to how the Texans are handling the COVID-19 vaccine.
3. Justin Reid's contract extension
Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
The subject is worthy of discussion given the leadership Reid brings to the Texans. One of the best times that teams wrap up extensions with their players is during training camp. The former 2018 third-round pick is in the final year of his rookie deal and is set to become a free agent at the end of the year. Reid has expressed numerous times he would like to stay in Houston.
4. Can David Culley actually coach?
(Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)
The former Baltimore Ravens receivers coach and passing game coordinator has never been even so much as an offensive coordinator in his previous 27 seasons in the NFL. However, he does bring consistent positivity and enthusiasm to the job, which is what the Texans need to recover from the disastrous end to the Bill O'Brien era and the nightmare with Watson. Culley may have all the qualities needed to be a successful walk-around coach with the assistants he has in place with defensive coordinator Lovie Smith and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly.
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