HOUSTON -- The punishment for sloppiness is extra running at Houston Texans training camp, a reminder that penalties can keep you from your goals before you even have a chance to try and meet them.
There was a bit of that Saturday in the Texans' first practice of training camp, and coach Bill O'Brien was not pleased.
"Inconsistency, just some sloppiness," O'Brien said. "We have to clean up some of our line-of-scrimmage procedures, formations, alignments, communication on defense. But I did like the pace. I liked the way the guys moved around and how they competed."
Players have talked quite a bit this offseason about knowing the expectations of this staff as they head into their second year together. That might contribute to the better pace they were able to keep during practice.
"I feel like we’re in better condition," receiver DeAndre Hopkins said. "The guys that played in this offense last year kind of know what to expect coming out here. And you know this condition, they know how to treat their bodies better than last year, guys are out here, there were more IVs being used last year about this time. So I would say better conditioning and guys know what to expect."
O'Brien did praise "97 percent" of the team for coming back to camp in shape. Three percent of 90 is 2.7, so at least one of the players who came back out of shape was receiver Alan Bonner, who was placed on the non-football injury list for failing the conditioning test. Bonner took it again a week later and passed it, coming onto the active roster.
Some other notes from Saturday:
Hopkins was held out of organized team activites and minicamp as he recovered from a wrist injury this offseason. He practiced Saturday. All the players who were not on the physically unable to perform list (Jadeveon Clowney and Akeem Dent) or the non-football illness list (David Quessenberry) were participating in practice. Clowney, Dent and Quessenberry each attended practice. Dent, who wore a boot on his right foot in the offseason, wasn't wearing that boot Saturday.
First-round pick Kevin Johnson's parents attended practice dressed in replicas of their son's jersey and got a hug from Texans general manager Rick Smith. Johnson was aggressive and physical during practice. However, he will have a battle to wrest the third corner job from A.J. Bouye, who had the job last year.
Quarterback Brian Hoyer is very impressed with the Texans' receivers, a year after not having much to work with in Cleveland. "As a group, this is one of the best groups I have played with, from top to bottom," Hoyer said. "Like I said, every guy knows what they are supposed to be doing, run good routes, talented. It is definitely one of our strengths."
Vince Wilfork was asked what he's going to teach J.J. Watt: "Teach him what? What am I going to teach J.J.? One thing we’re going to teach each other is we’re going to compete at the highest level. I mean, I think at this point in his career, I think anybody can get something out of somebody, but you’d have to ask him what he’s going to get from me. What I’m going to get from him is just watching how he works."