Houston Texans Injury News: Jadeveon Clowney Won’t Participate In OTAs

Jadeveon Clowney is a witch doctor, a swirling maelstrom of terror who can derail run offenses for an entire game on his own. He does things I have never seen anyone do on a football field. He treats grown men like a child treats train sets, creating collisions that keep them from returning to the ones they love. Clowney also has an injury history, and he is entering the last year of his rookie contract after the Texans picked up his fifth year option.

The injuries weren’t a concern during the season last year. Clowney played in all 16 games. He was the Texans’ best player on a bad team that featured a bad defense. However, at the conclusion of last season, Clowney had his knee cleaned up, undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Because of this surgery, Clowney will not participate in OTAs and isn’t expected to take the field until training camp.

Houston coach Bill O’Brien told James Palmer of NFL Network he doesn’t expect Clowney to participate in any OTAs, and said Clowney most likely wont practice at all until training camp.

Although Clowney played in all 16 games for the first time in his career last season, he had arthroscopic knee surgery after the season. Clowney has been at the Texans’ facility, but he’s focusing on rehabbing his knee, not doing practice drills.

This may actually be a good thing. Clowney isn’t missing out on much by not participating in OTAs. There’s no reason to risk an injury with him running around with duct tape and CLOWNEY scribbled in sharpie across the front of his helmet. Let him recover and then unleash him once the season begins.

According to Sarah Barshop of ESPN, the Texans feel similarly.

Jadeveon Clowney is not expected to participate in the Texans’ organized team activities, but coach Bill O’Brien there is “not really” any concern that the outside linebacker is missing time.

Clowney had a minor arthroscopic surgery on his knee in January that forced him to miss the Pro Bowl, according to NFL Network.

”I think [Clowney is] doing OK with the medical team, trying to get better,” O’Brien said Wednesday. “He’s in the meetings. I think he’s progressing.”

John McClain disagrees with the Texans’ purported lack of concern:

As long as Clowney is around by the end of the preseason, there shouldn’t be any concerns. When this time comes, the Texans will probably sign Clowney to a monstrous contract extension. But like anything regarding Clowney and injuries, any sniffle of it is something to discuss.