Deshaun Watson Developing Chemistry With New Receivers
As Deshaun Watson enters his fourth season as quarterback of the Houston Texans, the former Clemson Tiger will be doing so without his top target from the previous three seasons.
With DeAndre Hopkins being traded away to the Arizona Cardinals, Watson is now having to adjust to a new crop of wide receivers. The team brought in veteran players Brandin Cooks and Randall Cobb to go alongside fifth-year receiver Will Fuller V and veteran Kenny Stills to try and help feel the void left by the departed Hopkins. Watson has spent most of the summer trying to develop the necessary chemistry with his new teammates.
"The chemistry is coming along well. We've been building it all summer," Watson told the media on Friday. "And then from the past week. These guys are veteran guys so they see different things, they understand. Their football IQ is very high."
There is no doubt that the Texans will miss Hopkins. That tends to happen when you trade away one of the league's best players. However, how much the team misses him will largely depend on how well the newcomers play, and that is all Watson is focused on as the team prepares for the upcoming season.
"Those guys make plays, and that's the biggest thing that we want," Watson said. "For each one of those guys to come in and do their job and produce like veterans and All-Pros, and that's what they've been, you know, bringing to this team, a different type of energy."
Another area that can help offset the loss of Hopkins is the tight end position, and Watson has been overly impressed by what he has seen from the group so far in training camp.
"It's a big group, that each one of those guys definitely can do a lot of different things, Watson said. "They all are very dynamic and make big plays and can help this team, especially our offense, take it to a whole other level. They can line outside, inside, block, catch receive, do it all. You know each guy has been coming along and gaining experience."
