OMNISPORT

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, whose promising rookie season ended with a torn ACL in his right knee, is ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation.

That's according to head coach Bill O'Brien, who said on Tuesday that Watson "could be back in some capacity for OTAs".

Organised team activities tend to be held in late May and early June, meaning Watson still has months of recovery work ahead of him.

Watson, 22, threw for 19 touchdowns - including an NFL rookie record of 16 in October alone - before he injured his knee in early November.

He completed 126 of 204 passes for 1,699 passing yards with eight interceptions and had a passer rating of 103. He also ran for 269 yards and two TDs.

"He's an exciting player," O'Brien said. "He's an even better player off the field. We're all excited about his future."