WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WV – Even a season-ending ACL injury couldn't keep Texans second-year quarterback Deshaun Watson from taking the field as the team's starting signal-caller at the first training camp practice on Thursday.
Watson missed the final nine games of his rookie season with the ACL tear in his right knee, but he was out at practice on day one ready to go and pick up where he left off a season ago.
Granted, the first practice was nothing more than an extension of the offseason workouts, which he also participated in. The team will put the pads on for the first time on Saturday (their third practice).
“It was cool. Just a great refresher for myself and for my teammates to kind of just continue that chemistry that we built during the offseason," Watson said after practice.
"Also starting off the training camp right with everyone back in action, back on the same page," Watson added.
“We’re monitoring his reps. We’re not going to try to overcook him here early on," Texans head coach Bill O'Brien said.
O'Brien on Deshaun Watson and #Texans offense @KPRC2 #TexansCamp pic.twitter.com/q60PLhOsmZ
— Randy McIlvoy (@KPRC2RandyMc) July 26, 2018
"We know that he’s nine months out from an ACL," O'Brien said while also acknowledging having him on the field is great for the team.
“It’s good. He gets the No. 1 reps. Right now, these first two days, we’re trying to get all four quarterback reps. It’s hard to do that as camp goes on, but in the first two days, get all the guys some reps," O'Brien said.
"Then, like I said, monitoring Deshaun and how he’s doing through all of this, but he’s full-go, and it’s obviously great to have him.”
Watson practiced without a knee brace as he did in the team's recent mini camp and said he felt fine being out there Thursday.
“It felt normal. It felt natural. It didn’t really bother me at all," Watson said.
"I didn’t really think twice about it. I’m just kind of going out there and performing, playing and practicing. Trying to get better.”