One of the hallmark differences between college and NFL quarterbacks is that, in the professional ranks, QBs can truly act as a second offensive coordinator.
There might be checks and there are certainly reads and decisions for men under center at the NCAA level, but the mastery of offensive attack and defensive diagnosis is at another level in the professional ranks, such that the quarterback can take control of the show. Entering his third season with the Houston Texans, that’s something C.J. Stroud wants to do.
“That was something that I did want, and I've gotten that now,” Stroud said. “But that takes ownership. We've been able to watch a lot of (Tom) Brady. And there was clips back in 2003 or (2004), when him and (then-Patriots offensive coordinator) Josh McDaniels first started. It took him time to master it, so it'll take time for me to master it fully. But I am buying into it and trying my best to be as great as I can at it.”
With a new scheme to learn under new Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley, shuffles on the offensive line and fresh blood in his receiving corps, the former Buckeye is hoping to seize the means of Houston’s production and bounce back stronger from a slight sophomore slump.
“(Fans) should show up and expect a lot of points, a lot of fun plays like we've always done,” Stroud said. “And it's not always gonna be perfect. So let's get that out of our mind. It's ups and downs in football, just like ups and downs when y'all go to work, y'all have good days and off days. But the goal is to be great. But also when those times are happening, to be a fluid offense, to control what we can control, and I think we'll do that, we're working on that now.”
After winning Rookie of the Year in his debut 2023 season with the Texans, Stroud’s stats took a step back across the board in 2024. His completion percentage dipped from 63.9% to 63.2%, yards per pass attempt from 8.2 to 7 and he threw 12 interceptions after tossing just five as a rookie.
Part of the issue was failures in pass protection as Houston allowed 54 sacks in 2024, tied for the third-most in the NFL. The Texans fired both offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and offensive line coach Chris Strausser following the campaign, their second straight that ended in the divisional round of the playoffs.
One of Stroud’s focuses this offseason was adding strength and speed so that he’s harder to wrangle in the pocket.
“I took this offseason very serious,” Stroud said. “Just working hard. I'm trying to get my body right. So I was here pretty early with Clint (Martin), our strength guy. So I've been working really hard on getting my body right, losing body fat, trying to be faster, stronger.”
Caley, Slowik’s replacement, is a first-time OC, though he served as passing game coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2024. He was also their tight ends coach, a position he held with the New England Patriots from 2017 through 2022 before he arrived in Los Angeles.
Caley voiced his desire to construct his first offense around the talent at his disposal, which includes taking advantage of Stroud’s skill and football mind. But first, they’ll have to get familiar with each other as Caley develops the scheme.
“He wants to be able to have the ability to have control,” Caley said. “When you’re at that position, there’s a lot of great value in being able to fix problems that come up or unscouted looks that come up. It doesn’t happen overnight. That’s for sure. It’s repetition. It’s comfort with the offense. He’s working hard, he’s done a good job and we’ll just keep growing that.”
Before any thoughts on what Caley is implementing, Stroud enjoys the energy he’s brought to the locker room and the practice field.
“Him, as a person,” Stroud said. “I think, for me, I buy into people, I really don't buy into, like, system. I kind of have that thing about life. It's the people and the relationships that kind of take things and make a rocket ship to the stars. So, just him as a person, man, he has probably the most juice I've ever seen in my life, just naturally. I'm a very laid-back, chill guy, except for when I'm in between the lines. But he's six in the morning, he's up, he's at it. So that kind of gets me motivated. And just how he buys into his players.”
The lone reliable piece of Houston’s offensive line the last two seasons, left tackle Laremy Tunsil, was traded by the Texans to the Washington Commanders for a haul of draft picks. But it marked a complete overhaul of their front five. The lone returning starter is guard Tytus Howard. Laken Tomlinson, Houston’s marquee free agent signing along the line, brings 10 years of starting experience and one Pro Bowl nod to the opposite guard spot.
But there were a lot more darts thrown at the board in free agency. The Texans traded for another guard in Ed Ingram, then signed two veteran tackles in Cam Robinson and Trent Brown and a young center in Jake Andrews. They even invested some valuable draft capital, selecting Minnesota tackle Aireontae Ersery with the No. 48 overall pick in the second round.
“The mindset of the guys that we brought in, they had a mindset that they wanted to dominate up there,” Stroud said. “So I just think that relationship between Big Pmo (strength coach Pat Moorer) and them and the strength program, I've seen the majority of them here all offseason, and they've done a great job of getting stronger, and I've seen that. But also just what they brought out to the field, and I feel comfortable back there.”
Highly hyped wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who played just eight games with Houston, is now at New England. But Stroud’s No. 1 target from the past two years, Nico Collins, returns off back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Second-leading 2024 receiver Tank Dell joins him, though his future is uncertain after a brutal knee injury that tore his ACL, MCL and LCL and dislocated his kneecap in Week 16 last year.
Houston dealt a seventh-round pick to Jacksonville for Christian Kirk, who had 1,108 receiving yards in 2022 but is off an eight-game, 379-yard campaign in 2024. But the real support for Collins and Stroud out wide came in the NFL draft, where they took Iowa State star Jayden Higgens No. 34 overall in the second round and his teammate and fellow receiver Jaylin Noel No. 79 overall in the third.
The Texans hope that their new-look front five, additions out wide and change in offensive leadership deliver them deeper in the playoffs than the past two years. Stroud, more than ever, will be steering the ship.
“I think we brought in the right guys, the right mindsets,” Stroud said. “Guys who've won a lot of games, guys who've been in those opportunities in the playoffs. And I think right now though, it's not about that. It's about connection, chemistry on the field. And I think that stuff will take care of itself. We don't gotta worry about the playoffs right now. You gotta get there first. And that's about building calluses and foundation right now.”
