Texans thinking of starting Deshaun Watson in 2017

The Houston Texans are starting to become impatient. Three years into the Bill O’Brien era, they are yet to top (or go below) nine wins in a season. Thanks to a lousy AFC South, Houston has managed a pair of division titles and a playoff win, albeit against third-string quarterback Connor Cook last year.

In the draft last week, the Texans went for broke. Already being without their second-round pick in 2018 after dealing it along with Brock Osweiler to the Cleveland Browns, general manager Rick Smith once again called Cleveland. This time, he was willing to deal his first-round choice in next year’s draft, all to move up from the 25th spot to No. 12. With that pick, he chose Deshaun Watson, the national championship-winning quarterback from the Clemson Tigers.

Watson was the third quarterback taken in the draft, behind Mitchell Trubisky and Patrick Mahomes II, and now finds himself in potentially the most interesting position of the bunch. Trubisky is likely to sit behind Mike Glennon, who was signed in March to a contract netting him three years and $45 million. It would take an incredible showing throughout training camp and preseason for Trubisky to unseat Glennon. Mahomes is in the same boat, with the Kansas City Chiefs ready to put him in the program behind Alex Smith.

Watson will come to the Texans and immediately compete with Tom Savage. While the plan was initially said to allow Watson to develop and learn what is a fairly complex system under O’Brien, Smith says that the rookie will have a chance to get on the field right away, per ESPN.

“We want to provide a competitive environment across the board. So [Watson will] compete,” Smith said Thursday on the Stephen A. Smith Show on ESPN Radio. “[But] like I said, we feel good about Tom and his abilities to manage the offense. But yeah, [Watson] will come in, and just like every other guy on the roster, he’ll have time to play.”

Houston would be wise to sit Watson for at least a year, but that’s not how the NFL works. The youngster is coming into a league that moves much quicker, both on the field and off it. If Houston rolls with Savage out of the gate and falters, Watson will be viewed as a savior to the season, and O’Brien.

The risk? If Watson gets inserted into the lineup and struggles badly, his confidence will need to be rebuilt. It’s going to be an interesting year for the Texans, who have a solid roster and soaring expectations. Hopefully Watson is ready to take on the challenge.