DeMeco Ryans Clear on QB Battle: ‘We’ll Have a Starter in Baltimore’
Both the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders recently announced that their young quarterbacks will indeed be under center for the team in Week 1 of the regular season, but Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans wasn't prepared to do the same Saturday night.
Following Houston's 28-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins, Ryans was asked whether he's seen enough from No. 2 overall pick C.J. Stroud to announce him as the starting quarterback.
"We'll have a starter in Baltimore," Ryans said, referring to the team's Week 1 matchup with the Ravens. "It's the same as I said previously. You guys will see the starter when we get to Baltimore."
Stroud got the start in the team's second preseason game, just as he did the prior week against the New England Patriots. Despite an ugly final score, Stroud completed seven of 12 pass attempts, and Ryans seemed to believe he showed progression.
"What I saw from C.J.'s throws was the ball was coming out on time," Ryans said. "It was very accurate. The ball placement was very good. So, it's encouraging to see him from Week 1 [of the preseason] to this week, to see the improvement just overall.
"Seeing him just seeming more comfortable, and I saw him having fun playing the game," Ryans continued. "Seeing him also being able to scramble out of the pocket and make a play, it's fun when you can see guys actually enjoying football, having fun doing it. If he continues to grow, we're going to be just fine."
Third-year quarterback Davis Mills completed 10 of 22 pass attempts for 94 yards, as he competes for Stroud to open the season as the team's starting quarterback. Seemingly, though, there's only so much Mills can do -- the only way Stroud won't be starting in Week 1 is if the Texans don't feel like he's ready. If they envisioned Mills as a long-term option, Houston wouldn't have selected Stroud to begin with.
So it still seems like Stroud is the most likely starter for the Texans in Week 1 against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. But perhaps Ryans and the Texans would like to see how Stroud performs in the preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints before making things official.
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