Texans' QB Tom Savage fired up after missing last season

Tom Savage spent an entire season sidelined with a sprained shoulder last year, enduring long hours in the training room during a grueling rehabilitation.

Healthy again, the Texans quarterback is competing with Brandon Weeden for backup duties behind new starter Brock Osweiler.

Although Weeden has a lot more experience than Savage and won two late-season games as the Texans clinched the AFC South division title, Savage has had a strong offseason and delivered the football with zip and accuracy during practice sessions.

Savage is trying to climb the depth chart after previously being the third-string quarterback.

"I'm healthy and ready to roll," said Savage, who's entering his third NFL season. "Whatever I can do to help Brock. He's a great guy and we're all just trying to win. I'm going to be out there competing. The day I stop competing is the day I quit this sport. I'm out here to make everyone better."

A strong-armed, 6-4, 228-pound former fourth-round draft pick from Pitt, Savage played in two games as a rookie and completed 10 of 19 passes for 127 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. Savage passed for 5,690 yards, 37 touchdowns and 19 interceptions in college while playing for Rutgers, Arizona and Pitt.

"Tom always had that chip on his shoulder," Texans Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins said. "He plays the game with a lot confidence and I mean he's developing – year three for him now, mastering this offense a little better. It's in him, it's been in him, so he'll be all right."

Savage has also made a strong impression on Osweiler.

"Well, with Tom, what's not to like?" Osweiler said. "Tom, first of all, is a tremendous person. He's a tremendous teammate. He works his tail off in the meeting room and in the weight room, on the practice field. He's a guy that you want in your corner. I really can't say enough. Tom is a tremendous teammate."

Tom Savage QB, 3rd season Tom Savage QB, 3rd season Photo: Associated Press Photo: Associated Press Image 1 of / 11 Caption Close Texans' QB Tom Savage fired up after missing last season 1 / 11 Back to Gallery

When Osweiler signed a $72 million contract with the team, he organized informal workouts in Arizona with the quarterbacks and receivers. Savage attended the sessions and helped Osweiler get acclimated to the offense.

"As far as Tom helping myself make the jump and the transition into this offense, he's been great," Osweiler said. "Starting in Arizona, we had lots of conversations out there about the language of our offense, the verbiage of the offense. We're all pushing for each other to do great. We're all in each other's corner.

"On the practice field, if the other guy is going and the other two are out, we sit there and we have conversations about football. We pick each other's brain. At the end of the day, we really just support each other and want to see the other guy do great."