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We’ve heard several members of the Texans organization say this offseason that they’ve been impressed by the way linebacker Jadeveon Clowney has rehabbed last year’s knee injury to get himself back into the lineup this season.

One of Clowney’s teammates in the front seven of the defense has seen more than just physical work from Clowney while he’s been sidelined by microfracture surgery. Defensive end J.J. Watt thinks that the experiences of the last year have done good things for the first overall pick of the 2014 draft.

“I think, obviously, we want to get him back on the field,” Watt said, via the team. “That’s the first thing. We want to get him healthy. But I have seen him mature, I can say that. It’s a good sign. He’s been growing as a person and I think that we’re excited to get him back on the field, whenever that may be. I think he’s going to be a good addition to our team when he comes back.”

Injuries robbed the Texans of the chance to see Clowney on the field for almost all of last season and it robbed Watt of the kind of running mate that could turn them into an imposing unit on that side of the ball. With Brian Cushing also feeling healthy, that development may have just been delayed and 2015 could bring the defense to high enough level to bolster the team while they sort out their quarterback issues.