Now, that's certainly an eye-catching comment coming from Ryans when factoring in the pending status of Mixon. The Texans' veteran runner was far and away the lead man in Houston's backfield last year, handling a staggering 245 carries, 200+ more carries than the next closest backs in Dameon Pierce and Cam Akers, who each logged 40 apiece.

Under NFL rules, the earliest that Mixon can return is Week 5. Houston opens the year on the road against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1. The Texans host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2, travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars in Week 3, and come back home for a Week 4 tilt against the Tennessee Titans.

Joe Mixon, who took over the Texans' backfield last fall as the bellcow runner, is set to begin the season on the reserve list with an ankle injury.