Last season, Travis Labhart arrived to the Houston Texans with a short track record mainly from his senior season Texas A&M. He instantly became a fan favorite while also fitting the bill for the type of player Bill O'Brien's offense looks for at the slot wide receiver position.

The 2014 season saw Labhart produce during training camp, hauling in 6 receptions for 67 yards during the pre-season schedule. He was cut twice from the roster only to spend the latter part of the season on the practice squad and then offered a futures reserve contract at the end of last season to keep him on the roster.

Filed away on the roster after the signings of other veteran free agent wide receivers and the drafting of two more in the NFL Draft, Labhart has some work to do in 2015 to break though the depth chart.

Labhart worked during the three-day rookie mini-camp and put on display how much a year working with an NFL weight and nutrition program, via the Texans, paid off.

“There’s such a big transition because as a rookie you’re doing all the 40 combines, the shuttles, the bench presses, and does that stuff completely translate to football?” said Labhart on the differences of his rookie year to this year. “Who’s to say, but I think at the end of the day you have to come in and you have to be in great shape.”

“For me, this offseason was about coming in and being in good shape, and knowing the playback,” said Labhart.

Labhart participated in rookie mini-camp this spring. His route running was at a different level than it was his rookie season, as was his burst in and out of breaks. This comes from hard work and dedication, learning the Texans system, and translating to the field. Being in the building non-stop after the season, watching film, and working out on his own, Labhart has taken the next step to be pushing for a roster spot.

His chance for a roster spot will mainly have Labhart competing for a special teams spot, primarily in the return game. With the Texans return game in flux, Labhart has an opportunity to show his return skills.

Labhart’s goals are clear and, after a rookie year that started with promise and hit some bumps, along the way, the second-year wide receiver knows what he wants in 2015.

“I don’t think I would be honest if I said I just want to make the practice squad,” explained Labhart on his goal for this season. “Everybody wants to come in and make the 53. I think moving from last year’s progression of making the practice squad, this year, yeah, essentially it would be making the 53 looking forward to this season.”