Head coach Bill O'Brien opened up Texans training camp with an intense first day of practice that lasted approximately two-and-a-half hours in the Houston heat.
"I felt like the intensity and the competitiveness was good," O'Brien said following Saturday morning's practice. "I felt like the sharpness was something we've got to continually work on."
O'Brien was also pleased with the condition that players arrived in. According to O'Brin, every player that ran the conditioning test passed. On Monday, the team will practice in full pads.
"So the first two practices, you have a three day acclimation period. So the first day is conditioning and team meetings and things like that. And then the next two days are helmets and shells. The third day, which is Monday, will be full pads. We'll be in full pads quite a bit."
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Other notes:*
-Jadeveon Clowney took part in practice but was limited while he continues to rehab following his June sports hernia surgery.
-Andre Johnson is working extra hours to make up for the time he missed. He looked comfortable on the field during his first practice with the new offense.
"So far, the first day install I picked up pretty well," Johnson said. "I went out there and wasn't really thinking a lot. I got with Fitz (Ryan Fitzgerald) after everything last night and me and him went over some stuff. Everybody has been very helpful with me picking up everything. It's just fun to be back out here and be with my teammates and getting back to football."
-Ryan Fitzpatrick, who grew up in Arizona, hasn't been affected by the Houston heat so far.
-Fitzpatrick can also tune out Bill O'Brien's music playlist which is blaring over the speakers during practice to mimic loud stadiums on a game day.
"I'm too focused," Fitzpatrick said. "I have no idea what it is."
-Linebacker Brooks Reed played mostly on the outside in Day 1 of camp. Reed had been playing both inside and outside this offseason.
"We played Brooks on the inside in the spring," O'Brien said. "Right now we're playing him in both places. Today we played him on the outside quite a bit. He's a multiple player. He can do those things. With the addition of (Akeem) Dent, who is an inside backer and also a very good special teams player, we'll work him in there and see how he does."
-J.J. Watt greeted fans and signed the jerseys of two little boys as he was leaving the practice field.
-Arian Foster looked good with his reps, according to Duane Brown.
-Newly signed veteran offensive tackle Tyson Clabo will wear #69 signed with the Texans and had his first practice with the team on Saturday. The playbook and terminology has some familiar elements for Clabo who spent five years in Atlanta under current Texans offensive line coach Paul Dunn.
-Wide receiver Keyshawn Martin said he put on "not as much weight but just a little muscle" this offseason.
-O'Brien's music playlist kicked off with Rick Ross's "Hustlin'" and Calvin Harris' "Summer." It also featured Jason Aldean, Sean Paul, Nelly, Notorious B.I.G., Bruce Springsteen, and Kings of Leon, among others.
-Official attendance for the Texans first open training camp practice of 2014 was 4,590.
