Houston Texans NFL Trade, Roster Rumors: Deshaun Watson Will Start at Quarterback Against the Bengals

By Noriel See, Christian Post Contributor Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Looks like Tom Savage's grip on the starting quarterback job wasn't really that tight after all.

So far, Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien has refused to name the starting quarterback for their game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday. However, multiple reports have indicated that rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson is going to make his first start in the National Football League (NFL) this week.

CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora‏ was the first to make the report, and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and James Palmer also heard the same thing from their sources. Palmer has also said that Watson took every snap with the first-team offense during the portion of practice open to the press.

After a rough start against the Jacksonville Jaguars last Sunday, the Texans decided to bench Savage at halftime. The third-year passer fumbled twice and he was sacked six times, but Watson didn't fare any better during his time on the field.

Watson went 12 of 23 for 101 yards and he struggled against the Jaguars defense. However, he did throw a four-yard pass to DeAndre Hopkins for their only points of the game.

Watson did tweak his ankle during the game and that's going to be a concern. He looked fine on Tuesday, though, and he should get the nod on Thursday if it's no longer bothering him.

"Sources emphasized that Watson's injured right ankle held up fine during practice Tuesday, removing the only potential obstacle to having the first-round draft pick make his starting debut at Paul Brown Stadium as the replacement for veteran Tom Savage," Aaron Wilson said in his report for the Houston Chronicle.

"The Texans are going with Watson for multiple reasons, including his superior mobility and elusiveness while operating behind a porous offensive line," he added.

The Texans drafted Watson because they thought he had the potential to become their quarterback of the future. But it seems that he will be handed the keys to the offense sooner than expected.