Watson impressed in offseason practices but still has a lot of ground to gain in the team's quarterback competition, NFL.com's Max Meyer reports. "We put a lot on [Watson's] plate during the spring, and he handled it very well," coach Bill O'Brien said. "He made mistakes, and he corrected them. You don't see him make the same mistake twice. He can do a lot of things. He can operate our running game and in our passing game. He's got a lot of athleticism. I don't think we'll have to limit him. Training camp and preseason games will be a big test."
Although the Texans coaching staff has been singing the praises of fellow QB Tom Savage this offseason, Watson appears to be impressing as well. O'Brien qualified the Clemson product as being "wise beyond his years" and also said he's adjusting nicely to the challenges that have been put on Watson's plate, which is a very encouraging sign given the complexity of O'Brien's offensive system. However, the coach admitted that Watson is "not nearly where he needs to be to be a full-time starter in this league," so it seems the rookie will need to make significant strides in advance of Week 1 in order to earn the starting gig.