Eyebrows were raised last week when the Texans revealed that No. 1 overall pickJadeveon Clowney had undergone sports hernia surgery.
The surprise procedure wiped out the pass rusher's availability for this week's minicamp, but coach Bill O'Brien reiterated Thursday that Clowney remains on track to dress for the start of training camp in late July, per the Houston Chronicle.
Clowney acknowledged that he's making progress, but the rookie wouldn't confirm that he'd be ready by camp. He went out of his way to note that the groin issue didn't set in until after he joined the Texans.
The hulking defender out of South Carolina spent Thursday at Houston's practice facility, watching from afar as defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel continued to install a multiple-look scheme that figures to rely heavily on Clowney's gifts.
With NFL teams set to break for summer, O'Brien told reporters that he's urging Clowney and his fellow rookies to hang around the team facility as much as possible before camp.
Recovery time from hernia procedures varies murkily from case to case, but the Texans are confident their quarterback-killer will be ready to roll. We won't know the full power of this defense until he is.
In the latest edition of the "Around The League Podcast," the guys make the case that multiple teams have closed the gap on the Seahawks and 49ers in the NFC.
