Houston Texans Star CJ Stroud Listed Quarterback 'Most Likely To Improve'

The Houston Texans second-year star quarterback is poised for a leap with even more talent surrounding him.
Jan 13, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) in a 2024 AFC wild card game against the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 13, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) in a 2024 AFC wild card game against the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
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If the Houston Texans take another large leap -- as they did after improving from 3-13-1 to 10-7 from the 2022 to 2023 seasons -- one can assume C.J. Stroud went from a star to superstar.

Evidently, a leap from Stroud feels inevitable at this point. As a rookie, he posted 4,108 passing yards and 23 touchdowns with just five interceptions and the Texans completed a speedy rebuild, finding their way back into the postseason.

Not only did Stroud have an elite rookie season, but the Texans brought in even more talent around the star quarterback, capitalizing on his rookie-scale contract by footing the bill on veteran star talent -- like trading for Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills.

READ MORE: Will Wide Receiver Be Houston Texans' Deepest Position Group In 2024?

CBS Sports recently broke down quarterbacks on whether they're set to progress, regress or bounce back. To no surprise, Stroud was listed under most likely to improve.

"Of course, you might be wondering: How does Stroud get better than this?" CBS Sports wrote. "Well, wide receiver Tank Dell, one of Stroud's top targets, suffered a season-ending leg injury in Week 13 against the Denver Broncos. A healthier Dell plus the addition of four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs to go along with the reliable Nico Collins gives Stroud the best wide receiver trio in the NFL. That trio plus a year of experience under Stroud's belt should lead to another jump in 2024."

Evidently, having the best set of weapons in the NFL combined with natural progression from year one to year two will position Stroud to improve immensely. Also, he's going to get even more media coverage than he did in his rookie season, making his arrival to superstardom that much louder.

The Texans will be among the most exciting teams to watch in the 2024 NFL season, and Stroud's improvements will play a huge role in that.


READ MORE: Houston Texans To Have QB2 Battle Between Case Keenum and Davis Mills?

Stick with TexansGameday for more coverage of the Houston Texans throughout the offseason. 

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Kade Kimble
KADE KIMBLE

Kade has been covering a wide variety of teams ranging from the NFL to the NBA and college athletics since joining Sports Illustrated's FanNation in 2022.