Tom Savage is energized about 2017.
The fourth-year quarterback was with his teammates and coaches at Monday's Houston Texans Charity Golf Classic, and even though the start of the season is four months away, Savage is ready for the opportunity to lead.
"I'm super excited," Savage said. "I know it's going to be a battle. You have to go out there and you have to perform at all times, especially at this position, and I know that, but I'm really looking forward to it."
Savage, who started a pair of regular season games at the end of last season, and came off the bench to lead the Texans to a comeback win in Week 15, reached out to first-rounder Deshaun Watson shortly after the Clemson quarterback was picked.
"I just shot him a text," Savage said. "I congratulated him and his family. I mean, it's an incredible honor to get drafted in the first round. I told him that the only thing that matters to me ultimately is that we win. So, let's just go to work."
Savage and the veterans started work in mid-April with the beginning of offseason conditioning. OTAs get going at the end of the month, and when they do, general manager Rick Smith has a lot of confidence in Savage.
"Tommy's smart," Smith said. "He's got all the ingredients that are necessary to play quarterback at our level. He's intelligent. He works hard. He's got the athletic ability. And the opportunities that he's had, he's done well with them. It's just a function of having the opportunity to be there consistently. I think he will continue to get better. I think he's got all of those traits and I think the more he plays and the more experience that he gains, the better he'll be."
Watson and the rest of the rookie class will report to NRG Stadium on Thursday, and then hit the field on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for rookie camp.
