Incumbent national insider Ian Rapoport and newcomer Mike Garafolo are having a bit of a hard time harmonizing their real-time Twitter reports regarding the expected absence of Texans defensive end J.J. The operation may have been executed because of that disk, but conclusive reasoning for the surgery is not yet known.
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In 2015, Watt had his most physically demanding season as a professional, playing with a torn groin and broken hand, both injuries requiring surgery.
John McClain reports that Watt expects to be ready for the start of the regular season when the Texans host the Chicago Bears on September 11. Back surgeries are nothing to play with, plus Watt has already gone under the knife in 2016 before the recent back procedure. Watt played without a cast on it the past 2 games. Some reporters have said Watt could be out 6-8 weeks, while another says Watt could need up to 10 weeks to be ready. It remains to be seen how much time he’ll miss, but a minimum of a month and a half seems accurate.
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Although Watt has yet to miss a game in his five-year career, he’s now racing against the clock to get his body in football shape for the season opener. He’s proven over the years to be a tough player who can play through injuries. All told, Watt tallied 76 tackles, a league-leading 17.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and eight pass defenses to help the Texans clinch an AFC South title.
