The Texans may have traded up in the first round to take quarterback Deshaun Watson -- and in the process help erase the memory of the brief but disastrous Brock Osweiler era -- but Houston coach Bill O'Brien has no plans to rush Watson onto the field.
On Tuesday, O'Brien announced that Tom Savage, the 2014 fourth-round pick who started two games last season, will be under center for the Texans' regular-season opener.
"Tom's the starter," O'Brien said Tuesday, via the Houston Chronicle's Aaron Wilson. "Tom has really had a good camp. He's only thrown three incompletions in two games. He's got a really good command of the offense."
O'Brien also made it clear that Watson, who has flashed at points during the preseason, will be the No. 2 quarterback behind Savage.
"Deshaun is a very, very good young player who has a bright future in this league," O'Brien said. "Let's put the cards on the table, but Tom has been here for four years. The way we want to play, the style relative to getting guys lined up, protection points, route reads, putting guys in the right spots, Tom's ahead of Deshaun."
The Texans open the season against the Jaguars, a team that has its own issues at quarterback as 2014 first-round pick Blake Bortles continues to struggle.
