Watson is slated to undergo season-ending surgery after tearing his right ACL during Thursday's practice, Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports.
Watson, who tore the ACL in his left knee as a freshman at Clemson in 2014, is expected to make a full recovery in time for the 2018 season, though he does face a rehab period estimated in the 7-to-9 month range, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. With Watson's spectacular rookie season derailed by the injury, Tom Savage is slated to start at quarterback for the Texans on Sunday against the Colts. Meanwhile, the team plans to add fellow signal callers Matt McGloin and T.J. Yates to bolster its depth behind Savage. The jarring loss of Watson represents a major hit to the Texans offense down the stretch, with wideouts DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller especially impacted by the team's looming quarterback transition.