J.J. Watt returns to practice, explains 'The Plan'

After a few days off, J.J. Watt returned to the practice field. With a vengeance. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year was in full pads with his teammates and excited about it. He missed the final 13 games of 2016 with a back injury, and also was held out of the past few days of practice. On Wednesday at The Greenbrier in West Virginia, he was thrilled to be back on the field, being physical, with his teammates. “It felt great," Watt said. "It’s real football. It’s been a long time coming. It felt really good. It’s just so much fun out here practicing with the guys in this atmosphere."Because of the back injury last season, Watt's been limited by the team throughout organized team activities (OTAs), minicamp and now at training camp. While he acknowledged that he'd like to practice every day with his teammates, he understands the contstraints. "I’m not going to go out there and win a game on a Tuesday in the middle of training camp," Watt said. "We’ve got to win games on Sundays in September, October, November, December. So, the biggest thing for me is getting ready for that first game of the season and they have a good plan in place, so I’m just following the plan.” The Texans open the preseason next Wednesday in Charlotte against the Carolina Panthers. They'll practice again on Thursday in West Virginia.