Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt returned to training camp practice on Sunday morning.
According to the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson, the Texans had been managing the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year’s workload.
“Because he has been playing a long time, some of that wear and tear begins to impact your body a little bit,” associate head coach Romeo Crennel told reporters. “And so we are managing him just this year. We are not putting him out there all of the time, particularly in practice and trying to manage him in practice so he can be ready for the game and be able to play and produce at a high level at the games.”
The 31-year-old had previously stated he felt more like his 2014-15 version of himself due to the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lock downs. Watt had much more time to get his body ready to go for a full 16-game slate.
Since Watt’s last defensive player of the year award in 2015, he has completed just one full season, 2018, when he recorded 16.0 sacks and forced seven fumbles. In 2016, he was limited to three games with a herniated disc, fractured his left tibial plateau five games into 2017, and tore his pectoral muscle in 2019, missing the final eight games.
The Texans know what type of impact Watt can have on the defense, and the 10-year veteran has seen more than enough playing time to mentally get ready for a season. Saving his body for when it counts is what Houston seeks.
