Deshaun Watson has more on his plate this year

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Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson said recently that he’s learned the importance of “keeping plays alive” by watching video of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but there may be other things he can glean from the way Rodgers has played the game.

Rodgers is expected to have less freedom to make changes at the line of scrimmage under new coach Matt LaFleur, but he’s spent the last few years making reads and altering calls before the snap. Watson has not had that freedom in his first two seasons, but told Albert Breer of SI.com that the Texans are putting more on his shoulders this time around.

“I can just have a lot more information on my plate, whenever I need it,” Watson said. “The past couple years, it was more calling the plays. Or they’d give me two plays, for different looks. Now I can have five, six different plays in my head, and make sure we get in the right one. Biggest focus is really just taking that leadership role as a quarterback, and mastering my craft with my knowledge of the offense, knowledge of the defense and being able to get us in the right plays.”

Head coach Bill O’Brien said that he thinks having a full offseason will be beneficial to Watson after last year’s ACL rehab and he also stressed the need for everyone to do more to avoid the sacks that piled up last season. That point is a crucial one as there’s not much difference between plays if the quarterback winds up on the ground a few seconds after the snap.