C.J. Stroud’s QB1 timetable headlines five key questions for Texans

Ben Arthur

AFC South Reporter

The Texans wrapped up their offseason program last week, kicking off summer break ahead of training camp in late July.

It was an offseason highlighted by their eventful 2023 draft, in which they selected Ohio State‘s C.J. Stroud and Alabama‘s Will Anderson Jr. with the second and third overall picks, respectively. It was also an offseason when general manager Nick Caserio needed to be aggressive for the franchise, to finally show tangible progress amid a years-long rebuild.

Here are five burning questions for the Texans ahead of training camp:

1. How quickly will C.J. Stroud earn the starting quarterback job?

New head coach DeMeco Ryans said there will be an open competition for the starting quarterback job between Stroud and Davis Mills, who has started 26 games for Houston since 2021. That will be the biggest storyline entering training camp. The two rotated reps with the first-team offense throughout OTAs and minicamp.

With Stroud being the No. 2 overall pick, the Texans’ hopeful franchise quarterback, there will be external pressure for him to play early, but Ryans has said the team won’t put internal pressure on him.

From 2011-2022, there were 17 quarterbacks selected within the top five picks of the draft. Just six of them didn’t start Week 1 of their rookie season.

2. Is there enough firepower at receiver?

This is the position group shrouded with the most uncertainty.

With Brandin Cooks traded to the Cowboys in March, Houston doesn’t have a true No. 1 receiver.

Robert Woods, signed to a two-year deal worth $15.25 million in free agency, had 53 receptions for 527 yards last season with the Titans, which led Tennessee and also would’ve led Houston’s returning pass-catchers in 2022. He’s two seasons removed from a torn ACL that cut his 2021 campaign prematurely. But at 31 and four years removed from his last 1,000-yard season, Woods’ upside is likely limited. His receiving yards total last season marked a career-low.

Nico Collins is a strong candidate to be the Texans’ leading receiver. Limited to seven appearances in 2022 due to injury, Collins’ 17-game pace exceeded 62 receptions and 817 receiving yards (he had 37 receptions for 481 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games). He’s a big-bodied target at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, packaged with athleticism and fluidity. The production he has flashed in spurts makes his potential enticing. But health has been his issue. He’s missed 10 of 34 games since entering the NFL in 2021 as a third-round pick out of Michigan.

The Texans also added in free agency Noah Brown, who had a career-high 43 receptions for 555 yards and three touchdowns last year with the Browns. They picked up two receivers through the draft: third-rounder Tank Dell and sixth-rounder Xavier Hutchinson. But John Metchie III could be the X-factor. A 2022 second-round pick, the former Alabama star missed his rookie season due to leukemia and then battled a hamstring issue in the offseason program. Ryans expects Metchie to be good to go by training camp.

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3. What are reasonable expectations for the run defense?

After allowing 170.2 rushing yards per game last season, dead-last in the league and the worst mark in franchise history, the Texans have fortified their defensive front.

They traded up to take Anderson with the No. 3 overall pick and signed veteran defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins in free agency to pair with Maliek Collins. Houston has also fortified its inside linebacker corps with veterans Denzel Perryman and Cory Littleton, plus fifth-round rookie Henry To’oTo’o.

The revamped defensive front will show its worth beginning in training camp, when there will be padded practices.

4. Will the offensive line live up to its price?

The extension for star left tackle Laremy Tunsil and trading for, then extending, veteran right guard Shaq Mason showed the Texans’ commitment to improving up front for Stroud and second-year tailback Dameon Pierce.

In 2023, Houston is dedicating $37 million in cap space and $73.7 million in cash to its offensive line, ranking third in the NFL in both categories.

Will it pay off? Time will tell.

Like with the defensive front, we’ll be able to best evaluate the offensive line starting in training camp.

The Texans last season ranked 22nd in the NFL with a 31.8% pressure rate allowed per drop back, according to Next Gen Stats. Their running backs were also tackled at or behind the line of scrimmage on 19% on their runs, tied for 24th in the league, per Football Outsiders.

Left guard Kenyon Green, the 15th overall pick in the 2022 draft, could be the X-factor. He struggled at times as a rookie, allowing 47 pressures (fourth-worst in the NFL), according to Pro Football Focus. He didn’t participate in OTAs or minicamp, as he was recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. He’s expected to be ready for training camp.

5. How good will the secondary be?

The Texans have one of the better secondaries in the league on paper, with rising star Jalen Pitre and free-agent acquisition Jimmie Ward at safety, and Derek Stingley Jr. (the No. 3 overall pick in 2022), Steven Nelson, Desmond King II and Shaquill Griffin the headliners at cornerback.

Last season, Houston ranked first with just 15 passing touchdowns allowed and tied for fifth with a 82.7 passer rating allowed when targeted, according to Next Gen Stats. And that was with Stingley missing eight games due to a hamstring injury. The former LSU star’s availability could be paramount for the secondary to become elite.

Ben Arthur is the AFC South reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.

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