David Quessenberry endured months of intensive chemotherapy treatment and radiation therapy for non-Hodgkins lymphoma that sapped him of his strength and caused him to lose weight.

The Texans offensive guard dealt with the uncertainty of his football future while spending the past two seasons on the non-football illness list, receiving the good news last year from his oncologist that his cancer was in remission.

Now, Quessenberry is enjoying his health and the return of the bulk and power required of an NFL offensive lineman. He no longer requires radiation treatments, but he does undergo chemotherapy once a month as part of a 30-month maintenance.

"I feel excellent," said Quessenberry, who received medical treatment at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and in San Diego. "I can't wait. I feel strong. I feel fast. I feel explosive. It's the best I've felt in a long time. I can't wait to get out there. It will be a good year."

Quessenberry experienced a persistent cough and shortness of breath during a minicamp two years ago and was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins T lymphoblastic lymphoma at age 23. Doctors discovered a mass in his lungs. Enough fluid had built up that it could have been fatal if they hadn't taken action quickly.

"I'm very happy about how everything is going," said Quessenberry, who is looking forward to resuming his NFL career. "I feel great."

A former sixth-round draft pick from San Jose State who earned a scholarship, started 38 games and was a team captain and all-conference blocker after enrolling as a 235-pound walk-on tight end from Encinitas, Calif., Quessenberry was sidelined his rookie season with a foot injury and spent the year on injured reserve.

Quessenberry inspired his teammates and coaches with his determination and grit to beat cancer. There was a Team DQ campaign and a $100,000 donation for lymphoma research.

"This is a tough guy," Texans coach Bill O'Brien said last year. "This is a guy that went out there and practiced three or four times with cancer. Before he was diagnosed, he was fighting through what he thought was probably some type of flu, cold or something."

A former Senior Bowl all-star game participant, Quessenberry ran the 40-yard dash in 5.08 seconds and bench pressed 225 pounds 25 times at the NFL scouting combine three years ago. Listed on the roster at 6-5 and 306 pounds, Quessenberry has worked diligently to regain his size and strength. He says he's close to his old playing weight.

"I'm a little bit shy of what I was playing at before, but I'm at the weight I want to be at right now," Quessenberry said. "I feel like this is the right weight for me. I feel fast and explosive. My conditioning is good at this weight. I'm going to stay around here. Once we get on the field and see how things go, we'll see, but this is a good weight for me. I can't wait to get out there. I look forward to it."

Quessenberry will be rejoined by an old San Jose State teammate when the Texans have their organized team activities later this month. The Texans drafted San Jose State all-purpose running back Tyler Ervin in the fourth round.

"He came in and he was skinny, but he was always real fast and you could tell this kid was going to be special," Quessenberry said. "I used to call him 'The Future' at San Jose. After I left, he was one of the guys I kept pretty close tabs on. He was a stud for that team.

"I got to watch him grow, and I'm excited to watch him grow as a rookie in the NFL and becoming an even better football player. I'm even more excited about having Tyler as a teammate and being able to play with him again."