Houston Texans Rumor: Quarterback Battle Between Brian Hoyer And Ryan Mallet Heats Up

The Houston Texans are rumored to have a quarterback battle brewing, with reports that Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett are locked in a tight competition for the job.

When organized team activities start later this month, Hoyer and Mallet are expected to split first-team reps in what sources say is an open competition.

Hoyer may have a leg up in the competition. He spent time in coach Bill O’Brien’s offense, and though it was three years ago, now the quarterback said he feels like he can jump right back in.

“It’s not new — for me, it’s kind of just getting back on the bike,” Hoyer told NFL. “You learn to ride a bike and whether you don’t ride it for a year or two, you can pick it up pretty quickly. There’s some adjustments, especially with (George) Godsey being the offensive coordinator. It’s been a great three weeks so far of getting re-acclimated and learning the nuances that he’s kind of put his own spin on.”

Hoyer also said he is confident with the work he’s put in to get to know the team’s receivers and feel comfortable in the offense.

“For me, I’m kind of re-acclimating myself, so we’re all kind of learning together,” Hoyer said. “We’ve put a lot of extra work in after our workouts, whether it’s going in the film room and looking at formations or going over concepts. I think that’s really helped me and it’s helped those guys, too. Especially in this offense, you’re asked to do so much, so if you can do without thinking, it speeds up the process that much more.”

Mallett is also recovering from an injury. He suffered a torn right pectoral muscle that required surgery and knocked him out for the year.

But Mallett said he’s confident he’s back at 100 percent now.

“I’m ready to go,” Mallet told ESPN. “I’m still getting better every day. I don’t feel any restrictions. It’s about me. It’s about managing and being smart with my body. Just doing the right thing as we progress. I need to play in August, September, and those months. Not April right now, you know?”

While the rumors haven’t indicated which Houston Texans quarterback has a leg up, whoever wins the starting job will have a lot of pressure to suceed. The Texans went 9-7 last year and have a championship caliber defense and stable play from either quarterback could be enough to take the team to a playoff berth.

[Image via Getty Images/Gregory Shamus]