All the early returns on Texans first-round pick Deshaun Watson have been positive.
But it’s Tom Savage who has taken all the work with the first team, and picked up an endorsement from their best offensive player.
Via Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins said he’s been impressed with Savage and believes he can succeed.
“If anybody should be a judge of quarterbacks, I’ve played with the most quarterbacks in NFL history throughout my first four years,” DeAndre Hopkins said after practice Friday. “So I put the stamp on Savage, and I think that’s all that needs to be said about that.”
Of course, Hopkins just catches the passes, he doesn’t decide who throws them. But after playing with so many guys (many of whom were Just-A-Guys), his opinion ought to carry a little weight.
Going from Brock Osweiler to Savage last year was easy. In 2015 he caught touchdowns from Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, T.J. Yates and Brandon Weeden. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Case Keenum blew through in 2014. Matt Schaub was the starter when Hopkins walked in the door in 2013. So yeah, he’s seen many perspectives.
“I’ve played with at least 10 quarterbacks,” Hopkins said. “So because of what [Savage] does well and what he can do for this team, I know he can help us win what we want to win. He does everything well. He’s a student of the game, from just being on the bench, watching and learning from other people’s mistakes, seeing what they’ve done wrong. He can put the ball in any place. He has a strong arm. He has a knowledge of this offense. He’s been in this offense his whole career.”
Again, the ascension of Watson seems inevitable, even if not from the start of the regular season. But the Texans have had a measure of success in recent years without great quarterback play, and Hopkins seems confident that Savage is enough of a quarterback to keep them at that level.