Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt exceeded expectations with his conditioning test.
According to a report from ESPN’s Chris Mortensen on NFL Live Tuesday, the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year “crushed” his conditioning test ahead of training camp.
Perhaps spectators, fans and media alike, will not have to wait until training camp to see how Watt is progressing from his tibial plateau fracture that ended his 2017 season after just five games. Watt told reporters on May 7 at the team’s annual charity golf outing that it didn’t matter how he said he felt at that time; only training camp production mattered.
“I feel great,” Watt said. “I feel very good. I mean, I’m not going to put any percentages on it or anything. Like I said earlier in the off-season, I could tell you I’m feeling unbelievable (or) I could tell you I’m feeling super (bad) – you won’t know until I hit the field. Just show up to training camp, watch how I play and then you can decide for yourself how I look.”
If Watt knocked his conditioning test out of the park, then it is an indication that he is on the come. The 2017 Walter Payton Man of the Year has played eight games total in the past two seasons due to injuries. If the Texans can get the 29-year-old back and playing at a high level, then a defense that finished 20th overall a season ago should finish anywhere in the top-10.