Houston Texans reserves, including running back Cam Akers, try to defend the team’s 53-man roster from NFL roster reduction

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) – With the regular players sitting out the final preseason game, the reserves had one last chance to impress Texans general manager Nick Caserio and DeMeco Ryans.

Running back and wide receiver are two positions the Texans will have a difficult decision to make before Tuesday afternoon, but Ryans likes it that way.

“I love that it’s hard to make these decisions because that means you have a good football team,” Ryans said. “If it’s not just set in stone, you still have to make decisions. That’s the way it should be.”

One veteran player who was brought in as a backup in training camp after Joe Mixon was injured, has performed well in preseason games and may have earned his spot here is Texans running back Cam Akers. Akers just found his offseason home in Houston.

“I was already in the process of buying a house here (in Houston) before I got the call to go to work, but I feel at home,” Akers said.

Well, he went straight to the Texans. In the preseason, Akers ran for 112 yards on 24 carries. He managed 53 yards in the last test game against the Rams.

“This is just football for big guys who go out and play the game. Junior Varsity and Varsity … I’m part of the Varsity,” Akers said.

Akers set up both of the Texans’ touchdowns. In the first quarter, he had a difficult 23-yard run that set up the first score. In the third quarter, Akers made a nice lead after the catch on a fourth-and-3 attempt and spun past the Rams defense for the first down.

“Cam has done a really good job since we got him towards the end of training camp,” Ryans said. “He’s stepped in and done a really good job. Everyone sees that when he gets the ball in his hands in games, he can outsmart defenders and keep pushing forward and making plays.”

The Texans need to trim their current roster of 90 players to 53 by 3 p.m. Tuesday, and the newest Houstonian appears to have done enough to be signed permanently to the Texans.

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