Finally, a break for the Texans. Star defensive player J.J. Watt expects to practice next week, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). That’s a potentially major development towards him playing in Week 1 against the Bears at home. 
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Earlier this month, Texans head coach Bill O’Brien indicated that Watt could miss the first two games of the regular season. Apparently, he’s now ahead of schedule as he recovers from back surgery.
Watt, 27, has never missed a regular season game in his five-year career. In each of the last four seasons, Watt has earned Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro selections, solidifying himself as one of the most terrifying defensive players in the league.
Over his five seasons in the league, Watt has averaged 74 tackles, 15 sacks, and nine pass defended per season. In 2015, he finished with 76 tackles, 17.5 sacks, eight passes defended, and three forced fumbles. As Roster Resource shows, the Texans’ defensive end group outside of Watt includes Devon Still, Christian Covington, new addition Alex Carrington, and Brandon Dunn. If Watt misses significant time, they may want to pick up a DE.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.