Tom Savage ready to prove his worth in contract season

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Quarterback Tom Savage offered a glimpse into the Texans' meeting room last season when coach Bill O'Brien and former quarterback Brock Osweiler had some of their notable blowups.

On the first day of the team's offseason program, Savage was asked about new quarterback coach Sean Ryan, who tutored receivers last season.

With former offensive coordinator George Godsey in Detroit and Osweiler exiled to Cleveland, O'Brien will call plays for the first time since 2014, his first season.

"It's going to be a fun room (and) it's going to be a peaceful room," Savage said Monday. "We'll go out there and have some fun."

Hopefully, that peaceful locker room will make jobs easier for the quarterbacks and coaches.

Savage and Brandon Weeden are veterans in the last year of their contracts. The Texans are expected to use a high draft choice on a quarterback.

Savage, who has made two starts in his first three seasons, knows what kind of opportunity he has with Osweiler gone and Tony Romo headed for the CBS broadcast booth.

During limited game experience, quarterback Tom Savage has displayed enough promise to keep the Texans' coaches hopeful.﻿ During limited game experience, quarterback Tom Savage has displayed enough promise to keep the Texans' coaches hopeful.﻿ Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Tom Savage ready to prove his worth in contract season 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

Savage was asked what kind of reaction he had when he learned the Texans got rid of Osweiler after one season, and they wouldn't be pursuing Romo because of his retirement?

"To be honest, those are two guys that aren't here right now, so I can't comment on them," he said. "That's just the way this is. This is a business, and this is a job, but it's a heck of a job.

"This is a tremendous opportunity. I can't wait to get out there and get cracking. I'm pumped."

Considering Savage's nomadic career in college and his injury history with the Texans, they're taking a huge leap of faith with him.

Savage began his career at Rutgers, transferred to Arizona but didn't play, and transferred to Pitt. He's suffered knee, shoulder and elbow injuries in his first three seasons. A concussion kept him out of last season's playoffs.

"Hopefully, this is the last time we talk about the injuries," he said. "I watched (tape of) all of my injuries, and I think a lot of them can be avoided just with experience. Those are things that you'll learn and adapt (to).

"I'm very confident I'll be available."

In other words, stay healthy.

Savage didn't take very much time off early in the offseason. He's been a regular working out at NRG Stadium.

"I've been back here quite a bit," he said. "I had to kind of be a dad and learn how that works. I didn't want to be away from the wife too much."

This is Savage's fourth season in O'Brien's system. He said he's learned a lot from his head coach and will learn a lot more.

"Obviously, we can't be on the field right now," he said about the two-week conditioning part of the offseason program. "I think a lot of it's just in terms of leadership, communication with the guys and making sure we're all on the same page heading into OTAs and then training camp.

"It's funny. I was talking to (DeAndre Hopkins) Hop a little about it. I just think communication is going to be key. I had a couple of guys over and just hanging out and talking. At the end of the day we have to be boys. We have to able to communicate with each other. Let's be on the same page."

And Savage better make another trip to the grocery store. Hopkins was asked Monday what he likes about Savage?

"What I don't like is how I went to his house last week, and he didn't have Blue Moon in his refrigerator," Hopkins said. "Besides that, we're pretty tight."

Because this is the last year of his contract, Savage knows he has a chance to make millions of dollars.

"I don't really ever think about the money," he said. "I've played two games so far. I have a lot to prove.

"It's going to be awesome. I've never gotten that opportunity. Every rep you get you have to take advantage of it. Obviously, I'll be getting some more this year, and I'm really looking forward to it.

"I have a funny feeling we're going to have some fun, and we're going to play fast. If there's one thing I can say to Texans fans, it's don't doubt those guys in that locker room because they're going to play hard, and it's going to be fun to see."