The Houston Texans will bare themselves to the world when they appear on the annual HBO show, Hard Knocks, which offers an inside look at the training camp machinations of one NFL franchise.
When the Texans go under the national microscope this summer, the quarterback position is likely to operate front and center for the cameras.
Before then, Texans fans are likely parsing any and all reports from OTA work and minicamp to determine if veteran Brian Hoyer or young unknown Ryan Mallett have made any headway. Unfortunately, this may be the kind of competition that drags well into training camp and, potentially, through the preseason.
"Some years it is obvious who the starter should be in a competition as early as OTAs. I don't think it is that sort of year for the Texans," writes Stephanie Stradley of the Houston Chronicle. "Last year early, the Texans had four quarterbacks who didn't know the system. One was chosen early in the offseason as the starter by the Texans for his smarts, experience and availability, one was drafted for development, and then the two other guys weren't really good fits for trying to run the offense. None of the Texans quarterbacks looked good in the offseason last year."
That has apparently changed this time around, as Hoyer has reportedly been looking good as the de facto No. 1 thus far.
"Brian Hoyer ran 1s today. Best practice to date. Much sharper and more in control. Mallett also more accurate. #Texans," Brian T. Smith of the Chronicle tweeted Tuesday.
"Hoyer is smooth, smart and accurate. Looks like he's been in this system for years. Has a nice touch on all throws. Looked good today," the Chronicle's John McClain added shortly thereafter.
Still, it seems unlikely that an answer will come anytime soon and the competition may last well into training camp and the preseason, playing out for the entire world to see on Hard Knocks.
It might be, in fact, that it doesn't actually matter - in the long run, at least - who wins this year's competition.
"I'm not sure that 'the answer' is on the roster at quarterback," writes Stradley. "Would be handy if he were because the offense is so complex and puts a lot on the quarterback. Can they develop that guy from scratch? I don't know."
Mallett and former 2014 fourth-round pick Tom Savage represent the developmental projects currently on the Texans roster, though neither has shown much in the way of firm production or progress of late - Mallett has all of seven games and 42 completions to his name in two NFL seasons, Savage even less.
While the likeliest outcome for 2015 is probably Hoyer running the offensive show for Houston, Texans head coach Bill O'Brien and GM Rick Smith will probably need to look to an early draft choice sometime in the not-too-distant future if they're to provide a final answer at the game's most crucial position.
