The Houston Texans traded up to draft Deshaun Watson in the first round. So, it only stands to reason that they want him at least competing for the starting quarterback job right away.
According to Houston head coach Bill O’Brien, he’s doing just that. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle quoted O’Brien, who lauded Watson and said that he’s making quarterback “a competitive position.”
Bill O'Brien on rookie Deshaun Watson: 'Deshaun’s been very impressive relative to being a rookie, so it’s a competitive position.'
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) June 13, 2017
If true, this is certainly a big deal for Houston. In 2016, the Texans got mediocre play from both Brock Osweiler and Tom Savage under center, and that’s putting it mildly. If a true competition inspires Houston’s quarterbacks to get better, then the Texans are true Super Bowl contenders.
Obviously, the long term-goal is for Watson to be the team’s starter, and it sounds like he might not be too far off from that goal. But if he’s making the position more competitive, then he’s already making a positive impact.