Texans still unsure of Watt's status for 1st two weeks of season

J.J. Watt still appears to be at risk of missing multiple games to start the regular season.

The Houston Texans are encouraged by the progress he's made in rehabbing after offseason back surgery, but remain unsure about Watt's availability for the first two games of the year, head coach Bill O'Brien told ESPN's Ed Werder.

"He's really on an upward trajectory." O'Brien explained. "Everything is going in the right direction. I don't think we can predict whether he'll be ready for Week 1 or Week 2, but he's going to be ready sooner rather than later."

Reports following the July 21 procedure indicated Watt was facing a recovery of 8-10 weeks, so sitting out the first two games would fall in line with that projection.

The Texans, however, will presumably continue to hold out hope that their star defender can get back on the field in time for the regular-season opener.

Long having proven himself as one of the NFL's premier talents, Watt likely wouldn't need many practice reps before returning to game action. He'll step back into the lead role on an increasingly strong Texans defensive front soon after receiving medical clearance.

Watt has yet to miss a start in the five seasons since joining the Texans as a first-round pick in 2011, racking up an impressive 74.5 sacks and three Defensive Player of the Year awards over that stretch.