(Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
The Houston Texans put a lot of eggs into the C.J. Stroud basket ahead of the 2023 season.
By selecting him with the No. 2 overall pick, they believed in his abilities to be the team’s starter for the foreseeable future.
His first preseason game yielded less-than-ideal results, throwing for just 13 yards on four attempts, adding an interception to his totals.
However, his second game looked significantly better if his head coach’s comments are any indication.
After the Texans’ loss to the Miami Dolphins, DeMeco Ryans said, “Overall, just operation of the offense about C.J. was more efficient,” per reporter DJ Bien-Aime.
DeMeco Ryans on CJ Stroud.
“Overall, just with the operation of the offense about CJ was more efficient. He felt more comfortable. Everyone around him played better, which allowed him to play better. Proud of the progress that CJ took this week.”
— DJ Bien-Aime (@Djbienaime) August 19, 2023
Ryans also said, “Everyone around him played better, which allowed him to play better.”
Stroud’s statistical performance was a marked improvement, throwing for 60 yards on 12 attempts.
While he didn’t have any touchdown passes, his week-over-week improvement was well-documented by Ryans.
Whether his incremental improvement will continue remains to be seen.
The Texans’ offense hasn’t been the same since the departure of Deshaun Watson.
They have shown lackluster performances, resulting in fewer wins and a lack of playoff appearances.
With any luck, Stroud can institute a new brand of football, bringing success back to the organization.
The NFL is a tricky business, and it can be tough to navigate, especially in your rookie year.
Stroud has a lot of ground to cover, and there are a lot of expectations given his draft capital.
Texans fans won’t have to wait long to see how he pans out, given how soon it is until NFL kickoff.
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