Redskins host Texans, "Hard Knocks" to training camp

On Thursday, the Washington Redskins host the Houston Texans to their training camp for three days of joint practice.

The Texans bring HBO's "Hard Knocks" with them after being selected as the latest subject of the NFL camp reality show, but Redskins head coach Jay Gruden is looking forward to something more important: the matchups Houston will bring to test his squad and measure their progress.

"Well, we just want to compete some more and look at our guys against different people," he said. "Our ones against their ones, their twos against our twos and see how our guys are progressing and see who steps up as the competition will step up."

Practice with another team not your own is extremely valuable. It's the first real testing ground to see where your team is against genuine competition. The man on the other side of the ball isn't trying to be gentle with your man, isn't trying to keep your man from being injured, doesn't care what happens to your man.

"Well, it helped us evaluate our players," Gruden said of the joint practices. "That's the number one objective is. . . to continue to implement our system, obviously, and learn what we're doing, but see how our players react to the competition and try to get a better gauge on our best 53."

Without question, the primary matchup to watch during the practices is that between Texans defensive end J.J. Watt and rookie Redskins right tackle Brandon Scherff. Scherff has shows glimpses of what he can do, but has struggled against Washington's version of Watt, Ryan Kerrigan.

But Gruden said he would try a number of options against Watt when they take the field.

"J.J. Watt is the best and it will be a great challenge," Gruden said. "I want to see who is going to line up first against him in one-on-ones. It's going to be a fun one. But any time you go against another professional football team, they're going to have good players, obviously, and the Texans are no different."

Gruden knows he'll get the best picture yet of what he's dealing with in his front protection.

"It's so important for offensive linemen to make sure we're all on the same page," he said. "And they're going to get beat from time to time, but they just stay steady in their progression and continue to work hard and continue to communicate. Good things will work out."