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The annual mass layoff has finally arrived as every team works to trim the fat on their rosters in order to hit that magical 53-man marker on Tuesday.

But while the target is to slimline the roster to just 53 players, that doesn't mean all 53 are already in the building according to Houston Texans head coach Lovie Smith.

"Improving our ball club is constant," Smith said.

"Are there areas where we know what we have here but, yes, we’re looking to see who else is out there, available too? That’s a part of it. We have an excellent personnel staff working tirelessly behind the scenes. In the end, we’ll know what we need to do."

Given general manager Nick Caserio's proclivity to use any and all draft picks to his advantage, don't be surprised if Houston opts to make a trade or two in the not-too-distant future - perhaps a shiny new weapon for quarterback Davis Mills?

Then there are the hundreds of players that will shortly be available via the waiver wire.

It's easy to feel sorry for the players set to hit unemployment within the next 24 hours, but Smith had some encouraging words for those set to be affected by the harsh realities of professional football.

"It’s never any fun when you tell someone that we’re going a different direction," Smith said. "If they’ve done everything they’re supposed to do and they can play, there’s 32 teams. I haven’t only been at one team. If you’re a good coach or you’re a good player, there will be a spot for you somewhere."

This might feel like little more than a crumb of comfort for many when they are delivered the news, but as far as Smith is concerned, it's all part of the business.

And while it may not be a barrel of laughs sitting players down and delivering them this crushing news, that doesn't mean the decisions themselves are hard.

Smith noted that with the offseason, training camp, and preseason now in the rear-view mirror, the players have had their shot to "show us who they are."

The NFL is a cutthroat business, and these next few days are proof if proof was needed of exactly that. 

But for some, a second chance is just hours away, and it sounds like the Texans will be among the teams dolling out these next opportunities soon.


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