The Sports Xchange

HOUSTON — The Houston Texans completed their offseason rookie camp, training activities and mandatory minicamp. But second-year head coach Bill O’Brien still has not named a starting quarterback heading into the long break before training camp.

Veteran Brian Hoyer appears to have an edge over Ryan Mallett, who struggled with accuracy and command of the offense. But Mallett has the stronger arm and is the fan favorite. Even if Hoyer gets the initial nod, any early slippage will see outsiders pushing for Mallett to rise to No. 1.

Hoyer initially led the Texans’ first team but he rotated days with Mallett, while third-stringer Tom Savage showed progress during his second year.

Last season, O’Brien went with veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick for Week 1. The Texans’ offense could take a step backward in 2015, without veteran wideout Andre Johnson and with a new quarterback.

Newly promoted offensive coordinator George Godsey and O’Brien are looking for a smart, efficient quarterback who can inspire the offense and won’t turn the ball over. Fitzpatrick initially fit those requirements in 2014. Hoyer is on par with Fitzpatrick and could be the Texans’ first answer in 2015.

“The most consistent guy,” said O’Brien, referring to his main requirement from his starting quarterback. “The guy that makes the most consistent, correct decisions, consistently completes the ball to the right guy and gets us into the right play.

“Both guys have really competed hard and done a good job. We feel very confident in both guys. They have really good knowledge of our system. It’s been tough. We’ve thrown a lot of situations at them. We’ve blared the music, put them into things where maybe we necessarily didn’t meet about in the morning. We wanted to see how they would react to a different situation.”

Whether it is Hoyer or Mallett, Arian Foster remains the most important cog in the Texans’ offensive machine.

A season removed from 1,573 combined rushing and receiving yards and 13 total touchdowns in just 11 healthy games, the 28-year-old running back has never been more entrenched as a Texan. Under contract through 2016, Foster has outlasted Johnson in Houston and is by far the most well-known member of the team’s rebuilt offense.

“Just getting a year under your belt in the offense, it kind of helps with your confidence,” Foster said. “It helps with just everything – how you attack certain plays. You’re not thinking. You’re just reacting.”

The Texans’ defense continues to show signs of being a potential top-five unit.

Defensive line star J.J. Watt appears to be in even better shape than his 2014 self, while the addition of veteran nose tackle Vince Wilfork gives the team an inside presence it never had.

“I want to be a guy that’s played the game for a while that they can always turn to and ask questions about anything football-wise or off the field,” he said. “I’ve played with a lot of guys. I’ve played with some Hall of Famers. I’ve been coached by some great guys.

“The way I look at the game is different. I don’t just look at a game from a defensive standpoint. I talk to all my teammates. They can probably get a feeling that I kind of know the game a little bit and not just as a defensive lineman putting my hand in the dirt. When you come in and you have fun with the team and bring a different aspect to the game, a winning mentality, sometimes people look at it different.”