Deshaun Watson Reportedly to Take Part in Drills During OTAs After Knee Injury

Deshaun Watson saw his season end prematurely when he suffered a torn ACL in November, but the Houston Texans quarterback is reportedly progressing well.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the quarterback is "ahead of schedule" in his recovery and is expected to compete in 7-on-7 drills during organized team activities in the offseason.

Rapoport compared the quarterback favorably to Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota, who both missed OTAs last offseason after suffering broken legs in Week 16.

Both young players suffered setbacks in 2017, with their quarterback ratings dropping at least 10 points from the previous season.

However, Watson could get the extra development he needs after seeing limited reps as a rookie this past year.

The No. 12 overall pick in the 2017 draft took the league by storm, throwing for 1,699 and 19 touchdown passes, and rushing for 269 yards, in just seven games. He threw 16 touchdowns in his last four games before suffering his injury in practice.

Watson even put himself in MVP consideration at the midway point of the season before getting injured, going 3-3 as a starter for a team that otherwise went 1-9 without him in 2017.

Although his injury destroyed the Texans' chances of competing last year, his quick progression is a great sign for 2018 and beyond.