C.J. Stroud Feels Great About Texans' Offensive Line

A main theme of the Houston Texans' offseason leading up to the 2025 NFL campaign has been that of reworking the offensive line surrounding C.J. Stroud.

In 2024, Stroud finished as the second-most sacked quarterback in the league, right behind Caleb Williams, leading to this Texans' front office making sure to overhaul the entire offensive line unit to ensure they don't have a repeat for a second-straight year.

Five-time Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil and other starters got moved out, Aireontae Ersery and others moved in, combined alongside key coaching changes, and thus, provided Houston with a reset of sorts in their offensive trenches.

And in the mind of Stroud, that was seemingly enough work in the trenches to provide a bit more confidence than the results of last season showed.

During a recent interview on First Take with Stephen A. Smith, Stroud was asked how he feels about the Texans' offensive line outlook heading into the 2025 NFL season, where the reviews remained pretty positive, especially regarding their rookie tackle.

"I feel great. I think we brought in a lot of great pieces," Stroud said. "Of course, we traded Laremy [Tunsil], but I felt like we brought in a rookie [Aireontae Ersery] that was hungry, wants to get better, is doing great in camp. Tytus [Howard] is back at tackle. He looks great. So, we've got a lot of good pieces, man; versatile, we're young, we have a new scheme."

Aug 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) walks to the sideline before the game against the Carolina Panthers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

It's that new scheme led by new offensive coordinator Nick Caley that Stroud went on to emphasize more than the personnel, though, highlighting that the Texans will be primed for a bit more of a dynamic offense than the one was saw under Bobby Slowik.

"I think [the scheme] had a lot to do with it last year," Stroud said. "We have to be able to get rid of the ball, move the pocket; help those guys out. Everything can't just be drop back, pass. We need play-action, that's running the ball, there's ways we can help those guys out, and by me, I've got to do a better job of getting the ball out when it's necessary. It's not just on them, it's on me as well. So, I think we're doing a great job by setting that foundation in camp. I'm excited, man. Our o-line is great."

C.J. Stroud on first take talking about the Texans OL in 2025:

- Mentions the scheme being a big issue for the OL last year and Tytus Howard being back at tackle pic.twitter.com/F0MGsWsbjD
— Jacob (@TexansJacob) August 26, 2025

It'll be a brand new landscape for Stroud in front of him for his third season at the helm in Houston, for better or for worse. Yet, on the surface, it seems the chemistry between him and his refurbished group is in a strong place, rolling into their Week 1 contest against the Los Angeles Rams.

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