C.J. Stroud Could Have Serious Worry After Texans' Free Agency

The Houston Texans have not wasted any time making considerable adjustments this offseason –– especially so when it comes to changing up their offensive line unit.

By shipping out three starters from last season in just a week into NFL free agency, the Texans have effectively positioned this group in the trenches to look extremely different for 2025.

Without Laremy Tunsil, Kenyon Green, or Shaq Mason in the fold, Houston made sure to be far from complacent with their offensive line play after a year filled with lapses. However, those adjustments could inevitably make some big bets on this offense's potency, and more importantly C.J. Stroud.

In the eyes of The Athletic insider Jacob Robinson, the Texans' moves around the offensive line, especially the decision to pivot off of Laremy Tunsil, is one effectively gambling with Stroud's health without a clear solution to replace him in this year's draft.

"As Mike Jones writes in our full list of free agency winners and losers, 'The Texans are gambling big-time with Stroud’s health' by trading away Tunsil. Houston has seven draft picks (including a first, a second and two thirds) to improve their line, but even after Tunsil’s down year, no rookie in this class is likely to fill his big shoes."
Jacob Robinson, The Athletic

As the Texans unit on the offensive line will be primed to have more new starters than existing ones, questioning their effectiveness in 2025 is a reasonable doubt to have.

It's no secret that the Texans had struggles on their offensive line, and more specifically their pass protection, last season, as Stroud was the second-most sacked quarterback in the NFL through the 2024 campaign.

But rather than investing more into the group protecting Stroud, the Texans have taken a different approach: shed the players from last season that contributed to that performance, and don't invest high dollars into the position afterward.

The stage could be set for Houston to inevitably tackle those offensive line needs in the draft, but it's hard to see year-one players making the substantial and necessary impact on those problems upfront. As a result, the questions begin to build revolving around what the future holds for Stroud, his protection, and how this offense plans to develop for the season ahead.

It's not impossible to land a difference-maker or two in the draft, but it's a gamble. And with a young franchise signal caller still on his rookie deal onboard with a critical year three right around the corner, it's a bold wager to put up. Time will tell if it pays off.

Read More Houston Texans Coverage