Texans coach Bill O’Brien has been clear that he won’t have a two-quarterback system when the regular season starts. What’s more unclear is just which player will be under center. Houston made the playoffs a season ago but still got rid of Brock Osweiler because he was so ineffective.
The team has a dominant defense and fancies being a contender in the AFC. However, that will only be possible if the quarterback that emerges is at least average so that the offense scores enough points to not put too much stress on the defense.
Tom Savage returns and is the favorite to win the job, but the Texans also drafted Deshaun Watson in the first round, and his praises have been sung in the preseason. Brandon Weeden is the third option in a two-player race and it seems like the only way he will start is if Savage gets hurt and Watson completely falls on his face during training camp.
Houston Texans Quarterback Battle Odds at BookMaker.eu
Tom Savage -320
Deshaun Watson +280
Brandon Weeden +4000
Tom Savage – Even though Osweiler was signed to a lucrative deal in free agency, he played poorly enough for Savage to get his chance. The former fourth-round pick was 46-of-73 for 461 yards without a touchdown or interception in a pair of games but then suffered a concussion that sent him to the sidelines. This is his fourth year in the NFL and he wants to prove that he is worthy of a starting job. Savage is far from a sure thing, but the Texans are definitely giving him a fair chance to win the starting job and he is the favorite because of his experience. While Savage hasn’t established himself in the NFL, he has shown enough flashes to be considered a viable option. The Texans are good enough in other places that the quarterback doesn’t need to dominate, and Savage may be the steadiest option of the bunch. The elite physical tools may not be there, but there is something to be said for a player who has the offense down and is able to keep turnovers to a minimum. Even if the Texans don’t consider Savage the long-term fix, he could be the right guy to start the year.
Deshaun Watson – While Savage is the favorite, don’t count out Watson. O’Brien recently lavished praise upon the Clemson product, telling reporters that Watson is way ahead of any other rookie quarterback he has been around. Watson found great success in college and is no stranger to pressure-packed situations, so an NFL quarterback competition won’t fluster him. However, Watson needs to prove that he has the arm strength and accuracy to find success against fast defenses. He will need to play very well throughout training camp and the preseason since Savage is the known commodity and the coaching staff likely will give him the benefit of the doubt if the quarterbacks end up about the same before the season begins.
Brandon Weeden – The third quarterback on the depth chart is Weeden. This will be his third team in the past three seasons after getting drafted by the Browns and then heading to Dallas. He is a former first-round pick but is already 33 years old despite being in the NFL for only four years because he previously played minor league baseball. Weeden has not established himself as an NFL-caliber signal-caller, and while he played decently in a pinch for the Texans a season ago, he is more of an emergency option. Houston is certainly taking a much closer look at Savage and Watson, a pair of young quarterbacks the team could build around for years to come. Weeden would have to absolutely dominate during training camp in order to win the job, and the odds reflect that. He could be the backup to start the season if Watson doesn’t grasp the offense quickly enough, but the first-string job seems out of the question.
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