The Houston Texans finished 9-7 and remained in the playoff hunt for much of last season despite some inconsistent play from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Now, Fitzpatrick is gone, replaced by fellow journeyman Brian Hoyer.
Hoyer's experience under center is valuable, but it won't guarantee him the starting job. He'll have to earn that in competition with Ryan Mallett. Unfortunately, fans shouldn't expect a clear picture of the quarterback situation to emerge anytime in the near future.
"It's really early," head coach Bill O'Brien said. "We do a lot of two-spot drills, so we're getting both of those guys a lot of reps. Tommy Savage is getting a ton of reps, too. All three quarterbacks are getting a lot of reps. So far I would say all three guys have done a really good job this spring. They've been here every day, they've been working hard. It's been good to see."
Hoyer threw for 3,326 yards with 12 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while completing 55.3 percent of his passes in 14 games last year. He led the Browns to a 6-3 start in 2014 before throwing eight interceptions against just one touchdown in a four game span and being benched for Johnny Manziel.
Mallett threw for 400 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 54.7 percent of his passes in three games before a pectoral injury ended his 2014 season.
O'Brien could end up turning to Savage, who appeared in two games last year as a rookie and struggled mightily at times, but the Hoyer signing indicates that he may not be ready just yet. Texans fans should expect a wide open quarterback battle to extend through the pre-season.
