Houston Texans: Five camp battles to watch

Aug 16, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans guard Xavier Su-a-Filo (70) against the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Offensive line

The offensive line is not great outside of tackles Duane Brown and Derek Newton. In the offseaon they got even thinner inside as they released veteran center Chris Myers.

Xavier Su’a-Filo was selected in the second round of the 2014 draft, but the UCLA product managed only one start and was not that impressive during the year. Former Georgia Bulldog Ben Jones will be given an opportunity to win the starting center job, a position he played in college but not much in the NFL.

The issue there is moving Jones to the center means the team will have to rely on Su’a-Filo to be the guy at the left guard position that Jones occupied last season. That means the real battle seems to be the veteran Jones and the sophomore guard battling themselves.

With the team considering bringing back the veteran Myers at a reduced price, these two players need to prove they can handle their new roles to prevent the team from bringing him back and relegating one to the bench.

If Su’a-Filo can prove worthy at the left guard and Jones the same at center, there would be no need to bring Myers back. However, if either struggle it may seem best to return to the same lineup from 2014 and give the young guard more time to hone his skills.

Next: Rookies vs. veterans