Texans keeping an eye on Watson

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Tom Savage is Houston’s starting quarterback for now, but coach Bill O’Brien is keeping a keen eye on rookie Deshaun Watson, charting his progress as the Texans prepare for their season opener.

When the Texans traded up 13 picks to take Watson 12th overall in this year’s draft many assumed that the Clemson standout would immediately move into the starting role.

Instead the Texans insisted that Savage was their starter and have operated that way throughout training camp with the third-year player getting the bulk of the snaps with the first team.

That hasn’t stopped coach Bill O’Brien from being questioned about Watson and his progress every day.

“I think we have a really good situation here,” O’Brien said. “We have Tom. He’s had a good camp. He’s thrown the ball well, he’s done some good things … but Deshaun’s had a good camp, too.” BROWNS: Joel Bitonio’s comeback from a major injury has been stalled. Cleveland’s starting left guard — and one of the Browns best players — could be out for an extended period with an unspecified knee injury.

SAINTS: Coach Sean Payton says cornerback Delvin Breaux needs lower-leg surgery that will sideline him about six weeks and that an initial misdiagnosis of Breaux’s injury has sparked a shake-up in the team’s medical staff.