Deshaun Watson took the NFL by storm during his rookie campaign with the Houston Texans in 2017, throwing for 1,699 yards and 19 touchdowns over his first seven games (six starts) and was on pace to shatter the rookie passing touchdown record.
However, Watson then tore his ACL, ending his season and bringing up a whole lot of questions about his future.
Watson returned this past year and was impressive, throwing for 4,165 yards, 26 touchdowns, and nine interceptions while completing 68.3 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 103.1 en route to a Pro Bowl appearance.
So, we know that Watson is probably going to be just fine health-wise, and we also know that he is going to be, at the very least, a good NFL quarterback. But what does the 23-year-old need to do to take the next step in 2019?
Well, it starts with understanding his limitations and working around them.
The main drawback to Watson's game is his arm. He doesn't exactly have a cannon, which is unfortunately always going to restrict his potential. That doesn't mean Watson can't still be a great quarterback; it just means he won't be incredibly versatile as a passer.
But that's okay, because some of the best signal-callers in the league have made a living off of short and intermediate throws.
Tom Brady, for example, is the king of running that type of offense. Yes, he still has a great arm and can absolutely throw the ball deep, but his bread and butter comes off of hitting receivers like Julian Edelman for quick throws over the middle.
Part of what makes Brady so great is his ability to get the ball out so quickly, which is what Watson needs to study and take on for himself in order to avoid another 62-sack season.
It's obvious that Watson has an idea of what he's doing. After all, he completed nearly 70 percent of his passes in his second season and did a fine job limiting his turnovers.
However, it's also apparent that Watson has to do a better job of making quicker decisions. Now, clearly, getting sacked 62 times is a reflection of the offensive line more than anything else, but it's also an indication of your quarterback holding on to the ball too long.
For a guy like Watson, who is incredibly mobile and rushed for 551 yards and five touchdowns in 2018, getting sacked over 60 times is pretty inexcusable.
This brings us back to Watson understanding his limitations and not trying to do too much. If Watson would understand that he can be incredibly effective making short, quick throws to move the chains, he and the Texans offense will be much better off.
Of course, this is also on Houston's coaching staff to devise a better scheme, as it should be able to identify Watson's strengths and weaknesses and work around them.
Watson has the potential to have a very nice career in the NFL, and I have little doubt that he can be a Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He just needs to buckle down and fix a few things, and that should start now.
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