Tom Savage's dreamlike start to the offseason as Houston's assumed QB1 was rattled on draft night, but he's back on the upswing in early June.
That's the prevailing sentiment coming from the former backup after he spent OTAs taking first-team reps against Houston's first-team defense, which happens to be the best in the league.
"It's a great opportunity," Savage said Wednesday, per the team's official website. "I hate to say it's special because I have to go out there and I have to earn it every day. It'll be special at the end of the season."
It'll be special at the end of the season, if Savage lasts that long. Without much of a track record to speak of and first-round pick Deshaun Watson also on the roster (and gaining ground), it's anyone's guess if he gets there. Still, the quarterback is savoring his moments with the starters and chances to build a rapport.
"I think a little more of it is in the communication, obviously, with some of the guys," Savage said. "When you're a third-string quarterback, you're not really going up to DeAndre Hopkins and telling him how you want a bow route or something. Now communication comes in and you have to be on the same page with all of them. That's what we're working on now."
Oh, and about that defense: Savage hasn't had the opportunity to go against them with his fellow ones in live action, because OTAs aren't padded. He stands to gain the most from those moments in camp, but until then, he's using the mock rush to work on his timing with the goal of it paying off come August.
With much of OTAs, it's difficult to gain much new information. Coaches love to say that everyone looks good in shorts and helmets. But that's all we have right now, and for Savage, things are looking up.
