(Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
Houston Texans fans cannot be thrilled with their first-round pick’s performance in his preseason debut.
C.J. Stroud was fairly erratic in limited action in his first game vs. the Seattle Seahawks, going 2 for 4 for 13 yards and one interception.
He also rushed twice for six yards and was sacked once.
However, as bad as he looked, HC DeMeco Ryan still liked what he saw from the Ohio State product, as he told Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 after the win.
#Texans DeMeco Ryans on C.J. Stroud ‘I thought it was good for C.J. to get some live reps. I thought he moved around well. With the interception, I think (Jalen) Mills made a really nice play, veteran player.k We probabl y were a little bit late there with the ball, and it was a…
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 11, 2023
Of course, the preseason is the perfect time to make mistakes, and we’ve seen countless superstars struggle early before thriving when it actually matters.
Also, to be fair, even though both Case Keenum and Davis Mills looked much better, the Texans’ offensive line was awful, and Stroud will have a tough time finding time and space to work this season.
Stroud could be in for a similar situation as Justin Fields with the Chicago Bears last season when he had to run for his life more often than not, and they could even have some trouble keeping him safe and sound for most of the season.
Obviously, there will be many mistakes along the way, as every young quarterback goes through growing pains, and no one expects the Texans to be very good next season.
So, Stroud and the fans should just put this in the rearview mirror and take it as a learning experience, as making too much of it could only be harmful to him and his development going forward.
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