Running back Ahman Green said he felt great after the team's first training camp practice.
The Texans kicked off their first day of training camp with some fanfare courtesy of a late entrance from rookie Duane Brown, who needed an extra hour to wrap up negotiations with the team and sign his contract Friday morning.
Brown's big entrance: Left tackle Duane Brown pulled up to practice on a golf cart an hour late after signing his contract with the Texans. The rookie went through a brief warm up with strength and conditioning coach Dan Riley, and then he hit the field with the first team. Brown took most of his reps with the starters, and Ephraim Salaam and Rashad Butler were there to provide relief.
Head coach Gary Kubiak said that Brown still has a long way to go before the first regular season game in Pittsburgh, but he was pleased that contract negotiations did not force the tackle to miss practice.
"We got it done early this morning, but it took some time for him to sign," Kubiak said. "He's the only guy I've ever seen sign a contract with his ankles taped. But we got him out here and we had a portion of the practice with him."
To read more about Brown, click **here**.
Question marks at running back: A lot of questions surround the running back position in training camp this year. Can Pro Bowler Ahman Green stay healthy? Will Chris Brown and Green become the two-headed monster the team needs? Is Chris Taylor 100 percent after the leg injury he suffered last year? The list goes on, but training camp should help to provide some answers.
{QUOTE}Right now, the team is carrying five backs on its roster. One will probably have to go before the regular season begins, but Kubiak plans to use all five during camp to keep the starters from getting worn down or injured.
"I think we have enough of them that if we work them the right way, then their legs should stay pretty fresh," Kubiak said. "You know, we can rotate running backs Ahman Green and Chris Brown, and then those young guys need all the reps they can get."
Those young guys include rookie Steve Slaton, second-year pro Darius Walker and Taylor, a third-year pro who regained his form during OTAs and could see time at fullback in camp.
"It looked like he was definitely not the same, but he came out of OTAs very good," Kubiak said. "He looked good this morning. We are also going to work him a little bit at fullback. He's a big part of this team and he needs to have a good camp and stay healthy."
Green's knee didn't appear to be a problem as he worked with assistant head coach Alex Gibbs and took snaps with the first team. Gibbs was all over the backs about making a single cut and then running downhill.
"My hunger to play is there," Green said. "Training camp is pretty much for the birds. The hunger is always there. If I didn't have that hunger, I wouldn't play any more."
Brown was the only player absent from the Friday morning practice. The sixth-year pro was tending to a family issue.
"I'm dealing with him (Brown) on a family situation and I'm expecting him to be back here tonight and on the field in the morning," Kubiak said.
Colvin lines up: Rosevelt Colvin got his first taste of the Texans, lining up at outside linebacker and practicing with the defensive line. The 10th-year pro focused on getting past tackles during individual drills and will work primarily with defensive line coaches Jethro Franklin and Frank Bush during camp.
"I like to rush the passer," Colvin said. "So, it doesn't matter where you line me up at, as long as I can rush, I'm good."
Colvin is coming off a foot injury, which cut his season short last year in New England. He said he is ready to play but is not yet at full speed coming off the line of scrimmage.
"It was 50-50," Colvin said. "I did some things OK and I did some things terrible. I've got a lot of room from for improvement and hopefully I can make that up real fast."
Mum's the word for Mario: Mario Williams made it clear that he wasn't keeping track of the buzz he has generated this offseason. Williams, who looked unstoppable off the line during OTAs, was named the sixth best player in the NFL by Pete Prisco of CBS Sports.
"I really don't pay much attention to it," Williams said. "You know I don't watch TV or read magazines.
"It's a good thing, but the most important thing to me is in this facility and that's all that really matters right now. I don't have anything to prove to nobody except my teammates. So, like I said, I really don't care. As long as I know my guys are behind me and I'm behind my guys - that's all that matters."
Williams, who is coming off a 14-sack season, said he hasn't set any specific goals for himself this year, except to continue improving as a pass rusher.
"I'm not a big stat guy," Williams said. "I'm not trying to throw numbers up or say we need to stop this or stop that, but as long as I know what we've got to do every day - I mean pretty much we'll just take care of that when it comes."
Injury notes: The Texans finished the first day of camp without any major injuries. Guard Mike Brisiel, who started on the right side after Fred Weary went down last season, caught an elbow to the face and had to leave the afternoon practice.
"I know he got a cut under his eye, but Mike wasn't that good looking the first time around," Kubiak joked. "He will be alright."
Kubiak said he was going to keep the afternoon practices light this year because he is working with a roster that is reduced to 80 players. The Texans will wear pads only in the morning sessions and go through more walk-through drills in the afternoon.
"What we are trying to do in the afternoons is totally stay away from pads and helmets, and still teach and maintain the speed of what we are doing and try to continue to get the reps," Kubiak said. "We have got to protect each other, and it's going to be extremely important from that standpoint with this 80 number."
Cornerback Dunta Robinson is included in that roster count, but he will not make it on the field. He was placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, **the team announced Friday**, as he continues to rehab the knee and hamstring injuries he suffered last November.
