Matt Schaub is officially a go for the Houston Texans.
ESPN.com reported Thursday that the 31-year-old quarterback has been medically cleared for the start of training camp. He had been held out of offseason activities as a precaution, but has been conducting passing drills with teammates in the past week.
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This is expected, but still good news for the team, which was dealt a devastating blow last November when Schaub suffered a season-ending lisfranc foot injury during a blowout win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Schaub underwent surgery on the foot and has spent the offseason rehabbing.
This is an important year for Schaub, who can set himself up for a big payday as he enters the final year of his contract with the Texans. Houston acquired Schaub in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons in 2007, a deal that has worked out quite well for the team. Schaub has become an impact player at the position, part of a talented offensive core with wide receiver Andre Johnson and running back Arian Foster.
But the question still remains if Schaub can be the quarterback who leads the Texans deep into a playoff run. The team seemed to be on that trajectory before Albert Haynesworth stepped on Schaub's foot and took Houston's title hopes with him.
The Texans have been touted as Super Bowl contenders in 2012. If Schaub can back up the hype, he will elevate himself both in pay grade and prestige.