Deshaun Watson is running again and that is a good thing
Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has resumed running. This is good news for the Texans. Watson’s athletic ability is what makes him so dangerous as an NFL quarterback. Progress in any form is good news for Watson in his recovery. Running, albeit on an anti-gravity treadmill, is a good sign. Watson posted a video to his Twitter account earlier this week.
The use of anti-gravity treadmills is crucial in athletes recovering from lower body injuries. Watson’s ACL tear makes him the perfect candidate to use this equipment to rehabilitate properly. The treadmill can be adjusted to reduce the impact of gravity. As a result the amount of stress put on the lower body is decreased.
Proper rehabilitation is essential if Watson is going to return to his form he displayed in a limited time this season. Ensuring that the ligament heals correctly will provide Watson with the athleticism and agility utilized in seven games this season.
Watson is a threat on the ground in addition to passing the ball. It seemed that just about every week that Watson suited up a highlight reel worthy run stand out. Most notably the 49-yard touchdown run against the Bengals. Watson evaded tacklers and ran past defenders with ease on what resulted in the play of the game.
While it will be in the best interest for Watson to run less in the future, the threat of the run is what makes him dangerous. By scaling back the amount of times that Watson runs it will make the defense focus on other players. When that happens it will be a prime time for Watson to take off and make a play on his feet. Choosing to run in select times rather than often will keep Watson healthy. It will also make the times that Watson actually does run more effective.
It is still a long way away but Watson appears to be on the right track for next season. Running in any form is good to see out of a player who experienced a shortened season. Eventually Watson will be running without assistance and the light at the end of the rehabilitation tunnel will appear all the more closer.