Jadeveon Clowney's Season-Ending Injury Won't Derail Bright Future with Texans

The rookie season for Jadeveon Clowney hit another speed bump before it ever actually took off. The Houston Texans defensive end will be placed on injured reserve for a knee injury and miss the remainder of the season.

Houston's Twitter account passed along comments from coach Bill O'Brien on Clowney's situation:

Clowney was the first overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft by the Texans, but he has rarely been able to take the field. A two-time first-team All-American at South Carolina, Clowney has the talent to make an impact any time he's on the field.

However, Adam Schefter of ESPN points out how baffling Clowney's rookie campaign was:

Much of the time missed has been due to the knee injury, and the limited production can also be attributed to the ailment. Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle and Robert Flores of ESPN passed along their differing opinions of the matter:

Back in early November, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that the Texans coaching staff was "frustrated" with Clowney not being on the field. Following more issues with injuries, O'Brien discussed his star rookie, via Brian T. Smith of The Houston Chronicle:

"

I want to be real clear with this (about) him, as it relates to us here, to the Houston Texans: We think very highly of him. We know that he’s going to be a really good player. And he’s been unlucky.

I don’t really care about what anybody thinks about what I say in that realm of being unlucky or lucky. I’m just telling you he’s had a sports hernia, he’s had a concussion and now he’s dealing with a knee injury and those things are not easy in your rookie year. And he’s in there every day working extremely hard to get better.

"

Despite the rash of injuries, Clowney still looks the part of a future star with his pure athleticism and overwhelming power. He's a supremely talented player but simply hasn't been able to get integrated into the NFL game due to his ailments.

Houston's defense still has a superstar in J.J. Watt, but it would love to have Clowney to help dominate down the stretch. While the situation is a tough one for Houston, Clowney still has a bright future at just 21 years old.

In the long run, this will likely be a decision that turns out best for the young star. If he can return to full health next year alongside Watt and Brian Cushing in the front seven, the Texans will have one of the most feared units in the league.

At this point, Houston hopes he returns to 100 percent and makes a difference next year. Andrew Luck and the rest of the AFC South can breathe a sigh of relief for now, but Clowney's return next season might trigger a turning of the tide in the conference.

Follow @RCorySmith on Twitter.