After Texans QB C.J. Stroud’s historic rookie season, what to anticipate in 12 months 2?

by Christina S. Brown
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As a former NFL participant himself, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans is aware of the lure second-year professionals can fall into. 

Some who’ve had success as rookies, he defined, have rested on their laurels. They’ve taken their foot off the fuel pedal. Oftentimes, that backfires. 

As Ryans sees it, you could work more durable getting into your second season. That is as a result of opposing groups have a 12 months’s value of your tendencies on tape. They’re capable of hone in on what you do effectively — and take it away. 

“They suppose they’ve that ‘I made it’ second,” Ryans mentioned of some profitable rookies. “No person has ever made it.”

That embodies the problem for C.J. Stroud. 

After posting arguably the best rookie quarterback season in NFL historical past, he should proceed to ascend in 2024. The Texans’ Tremendous Bowl-sized expectations rely upon it. 

Stroud as a rookie accomplished 63.9% of his passes for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns with simply 5 interceptions in 15 video games. He joined Tom Brady and Joe Montana as the one quarterbacks previously 50 years to guide the NFL in passing yards per recreation (273.9) and touchdown-interception ratio (4.6). 

Of the 5 rookie quarterbacks in NFL historical past to throw for at the least 4,000 yards — Jameis Winston, Cam Newton, Andrew Luck and Justin Herbert are the others — Stroud was the one one to have gained a playoff recreation. The previous Ohio State star was additionally the youngest beginning quarterback to win within the postseason at 22 years outdated. 

Coming into 12 months 2, Stroud mentioned all the things has slowed down for him. 

“I believe final 12 months, I wasn’t in a position to do this a lot. I used to be assembly each workforce,” he mentioned final month of the pre-draft course of. “Going via offense after offense. Assembly a brand new coordinator. Assembly a brand new head coach the subsequent week. Then lastly received right here, after which all the things ramped up. 

“Now, I am coming into the identical offense and I get to decelerate and actually get higher at what we’re making an attempt to get completed this subsequent 12 months. So I am actually enthusiastic about that.”    

Why Tom Brady says Texans QB C.J. Stroud is a superb teammate

Why Tom Brady says Texans QB C.J. Stroud is a great teammate

He additionally has reinforcements to be enthusiastic about, which ought to assist him elevate his recreation. 

Houston acquired perennial Professional Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs from Buffalo final month, giving Stroud among the finest large receiver trios within the NFL (Diggs, just lately prolonged Nico Collins, Tank Dell). The workforce additionally traded for former Bengals working again Joe Mixon, who represents an improve over the starter final season, Devin Singletary, and may take strain off Stroud and the passing assault. The Texans had the Twenty third-ranked dashing offense final season. 

A wholesome offensive line might additionally go a great distance towards serving to Stroud take the subsequent step. 

Houston battled varied accidents upfront final season. Professional Bowl left deal with Laremy Tunsil missed three video games attributable to harm. Proper deal with Tytus Howard, who missed 10 video games, performed out of place at left guard. Former first-round choose Kenyon Inexperienced missed your entire season after struggling an harm within the preseason. Different key contributors and starters like Kendrick Inexperienced, Charlie Heck, Juice Scruggs and Jarrett Patterson all missed at the least 10 video games. 

However there are obstacles. Not solely do groups have a full 12 months’s tape on Stroud, the Texans will even face a first-place schedule in 2024. 9 of the Texans’ 11 non-division opponents this season have a protection that ranked within the prime half of the league in passing EPA allowed. They’ve six prime-time video games (4 night time video games, a Saturday recreation and a Christmas recreation). From Weeks 15-17, they’ve three video games in a 10-game span in opposition to AFC playoff groups from final season, together with each convention finalists (Chiefs, Ravens) 4 days aside. 

Irrespective of who or when the Texans play, the optimism and expectations are sky-high for 2024, primarily due to Stroud. Teammates have already seen his development throughout OTAs. 

“He is positively gotten extra comfy,” veteran tight finish Dalton Schultz mentioned. “He is type of taken that subsequent step of being that verbal man, that verbal chief that quarterbacks must be.” 

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Ryans is effectively conscious of the pitfalls that second-year gamers can fall into. However he is additionally seen huge jumps from 12 months 1 to 12 months 2 — in lots of instances, the largest bounce of their careers. 

For the primary time, they’ve a real offseason to work on their our bodies. They do not have to fret in regards to the mix or draft prep. They will deal with the elements of their recreation that want probably the most enchancment. 

Stroud falls into that class. 

“Now, can he choose up the place he left from, proper?” Ryans mentioned. “As he completed the 12 months off, he had a robust 12 months. However as a participant, you are all the time your hardest critic. Can he proceed to grasp the identical factor I talked about: these methods and fundamentals? Can he grasp these issues to proceed to guide our workforce in a means that he is completed?”

That is the problem for Stroud.

Ben Arthur is the AFC South reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand labored for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Community, the place he was the Titans beat author for a 12 months and a half. He coated the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for 3 seasons (2018-20) previous to transferring to Tennessee. You may comply with Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.


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