Obviously, the preseason games will play into this but, if CJ looks good, do you think they'll start him right away or do you believe it will be gradual?
Do they gradually work CJ in or does he start the opener?
- Thread starter Buckeye Homer
- Start date
A QB taken #2 overall in the draft damn well better be ready to play on day 1. CJ will be ready. You guys are going to love him.
Before the draft I spent some time on a Carolina board because I thought they were going to take CJ. What I told them and what I'll tell you is that, when it's 3rd and long and you need a big throw, I would take CJ over Bryce Young. Bryce is a great player, no doubt, but when you need ELITE ball placement on a long throw, CJ is on another level than most other QB's, including Bryce. At Ohio State CJ was dropping dimes in places where nobody else but the receiver could touch it and he did it all the time. As well, CJ puts the ball in places with phenomenal touch making it easy for the receiver. He will be missed in Columbus.
The Pencil Neck
Hall of Fame
I'm getting excited for this season to start. I'm hoping that Stroud really gels with Tank, Collins, Metchie, and Hutchinson. That could be the start of a great, young receiving corps. That and I think Dalton Schultz is going to be great in this offense.
I love Stroud's accuracy and his decision making.
Welcome to the board and I hope we all enjoy your stay here.
It's 100% his position to lose.
Training camp isn't a competition, it's a pre-flight check.
Training camp isn't a competition, it's a pre-flight check.
And Beyond!
Texansballer74
The Marine
It’s on him and how he handles camp. If he goes out there and handle his business like a true boss. Then he’ll start day one.
This all day, every day.
I'm not even concerned about. I'd be shocked if he wasn't the starter on day 1.
xtruroyaltyx
Hall of Fame
You take a guy #2 overall, start him and play him until he gets it or it's clear he doesn't have it.
Don't set yourself up for the possibility
of disappointment.
xtruroyaltyx
Hall of Fame
I'm not sure what you mean.
Porky
Hall of Fame
Even if he proves to be the best QB in camp...not a particularly difficult feat, I personally wouldn't mind at all if Case starts a couple of games to start the year. Say anywhere from 1-4 games.
Let the young buck(eye) see the game from a different perspective and see the way a vet QB executes the offense so CJ has a blueprint to follow. Granted, Case isn't the physical talent that CJ is, but I'm pretty sure he'll have command of the basics - protections, where to go with the ball, and how to read the defense, etc. These are a few of the things a rookie can struggle with. Giving him a 10,000 ft high-level view - even if only for a game or two...could be a good thing for the kid. Watch from the sideline, dissect the film, etc without the pressure of being the guy just yet.
Just a different perspective. Like most of you, I'll be at least somewhat surprised if CJ isn't the day-one starter, but not shocked by any means. And if Case (or Mills) does get the call early, I'll be onboard with it. Playing pro QB is extremely difficult. Even the best QB's tend to struggle early. If he is thrown to the wolves day one, patience...patience...and patience are the 3 biggest things he needs from the team and the fans.
Let the young buck(eye) see the game from a different perspective and see the way a vet QB executes the offense so CJ has a blueprint to follow. Granted, Case isn't the physical talent that CJ is, but I'm pretty sure he'll have command of the basics - protections, where to go with the ball, and how to read the defense, etc. These are a few of the things a rookie can struggle with. Giving him a 10,000 ft high-level view - even if only for a game or two...could be a good thing for the kid. Watch from the sideline, dissect the film, etc without the pressure of being the guy just yet.
Just a different perspective. Like most of you, I'll be at least somewhat surprised if CJ isn't the day-one starter, but not shocked by any means. And if Case (or Mills) does get the call early, I'll be onboard with it. Playing pro QB is extremely difficult. Even the best QB's tend to struggle early. If he is thrown to the wolves day one, patience...patience...and patience are the 3 biggest things he needs from the team and the fans.
Jared Goff didn't start until the 9th game.
Now he's a 3-time Pro-Bowler.
He lost in the SB only to Brady and because he didn't have enough support in the run game.
He's still ranked 8th by NFL.com last year. Not to shabby.
Kyler Murray started right away, and he's still not going anywhere.
All that said, I think Stroud has a good chance to start early.
The Oline seems to shape up well.
The running game should get there quickly.
There are some talent at TE and in the slot.
Some experience on the outside.
Whenever Stroud is ready in term of learning the offense, he can start.
That might be game 1, game 6, game 10, whenever.
Mahomes played only the last game of his rookie season, a meaningless game.
Doesn't mean he didn't have it in him.
TexansBull
Hall of Fame
There is no debate for starting Mills/Keenum over Stroud. It’s Stroud’s to lose as others have said.
Last time with Watson we didn’t know what we had in Savage and having him start could create potential trade scenarios returns and since the OL was so bad we would save Watson from getting Carr’d.
Our line is much better and we know what we have in Savage err Mills I mean.
No debate.
Last time with Watson we didn’t know what we had in Savage and having him start could create potential trade scenarios returns and since the OL was so bad we would save Watson from getting Carr’d.
Our line is much better and we know what we have in Savage err Mills I mean.
No debate.
TheRealJoker
Hall of Fame
I expect Stroud will start opening day. I think releasing the 4th QB is a pretty good sign they are wanting to consolidate the reps in camp. Get Stroud as comfortable as possible with this offense.
Will also help Mills, another young QB who will improve with more reps. I was shocked he was put in bubble wrap last preseason by Pep and Lovie. The results were predictable.
He needed reps to have the best chance of success but they treated him like a veteran with a decade of starting NFL experience during preseason.
Will also help Mills, another young QB who will improve with more reps. I was shocked he was put in bubble wrap last preseason by Pep and Lovie. The results were predictable.
He needed reps to have the best chance of success but they treated him like a veteran with a decade of starting NFL experience during preseason.
xtruroyaltyx
Hall of Fame
Peyton started right away and he's one of the best QB's of all time.
Russell Wilson started right away and he won a SB and went to another.
Matthew Stafford
Andrew Luck
Joe Burrow
There's all kinds of examples of success and failure with starting right away vs sitting.
This is just a personal preference.
There is no right or wrong way, but I'm a big "go with the best player" kind of guy and I expect Stroud to be a much better player than Mills or Keenum, so no need to sit him...IMO.
Is he better than Mills? If so start him right away. This isn't a situation like Derricks where he's going to be playing behind a terrible ol and at risk of injury.
Sink or swim
No excuses
Sink or swim
No excuses
Now that I think about it, how much will he play in the preseason?
I don't think much of the preseason program. Might not be a bad idea to postpone his first start if the team isn't where they want them to be. I mean if we're going to ZBS we know it takes a while to get it right.
I don't think much of the preseason program. Might not be a bad idea to postpone his first start if the team isn't where they want them to be. I mean if we're going to ZBS we know it takes a while to get it right.
Dude you crack me up!
We need to drink sometime when I’m visiting Texas!
You could put in stroud right now no practice and he’d be better than mills
No question
Texansphan
Football connoisseur
With a full off-season to prepare and some pre season snaps he should be ready - not perfect as a rookie obviously, but I think you have to let him take some lumps and learn.
edo783
Hall of Fame
IMO, Stroud has to play a fair amount in pre season just to get him to start settling in and the coaches to start getting a read on him as to what he can do well and what he can't. Based on how that read workes out should determine if he plays right away or needs to sit for a few games to get a good grasp of the pro game. I'm fairly sure that by game four he will have settled in. That doesn't mean he won't screw up every now and then.
xtruroyaltyx
Hall of Fame
So, here's the deal with trying to use pre-season as a gauge for the QB position...
Reps at the QB position matter more than any other position on the team.
Starters are going to get more reps through training camp and pre-season.
This offense is going to be pretty new to the QB's, except Keenum who will have played in variations of it...Basically they are all going to need acclimation to the offense. Stroud will not only need to get the offense down, but he'll also need to get used to NFL speed, different NFL defenses...ect...
Going to be hard for him to sink or swim if he's not the top guy getting a bunch of those reps.
The Seahawks did not depend on Wilson.
They were dead last in pass attempts and first in rushing attempt.
The Seahawks were running the WCO that Wilson was well versed in his 3 years at NC St.
They also had the no. 1 defense in points allowed.
If the Texans have that situation, I don't see any reason why a QB like CJ can't start right off the bat.
Luck was inconsistent his first year, 54.1% completion rate (better only than Chad Henne), 23 TDs, 18 Ints (third most).
Who knows whether he picked up the bad habit of hanging on to the ball with defender at his feet, trying to make a play by starting too early.
He got beat up a lot and had his career cut shirt.
Stafford also struggled his rookie season.
He got injured after 4 games.
He missed 2 games, then played another 6 before sitting out the rest of the year.
53.3 completion rate, 13TDs, 20 Ints (2nd most even though he played in only 10 games).
Joe Burrow went 2-7-1 before tearing his ACL and was done for the year.
xtruroyaltyx
Hall of Fame
Not sure what any of that has to do with anything, especially with what I posted.
Peyton Manning played like crap his first year when he started and then went on to be an all time great...
What's your point here? That they didn't come out of the gates blazing? So what?
The Colts went 3-13.
What does it matter whether Peyton started game 1 or game 4 or game 6?
The main thing is to have some playing experience.
It's better if the QB doesn't sustain an injury because he lacks the experience early if he's not quite ready.
xtruroyaltyx
Hall of Fame
Peyton Won a Super Bowl for them and was one of the best QB's to ever play the game. Not sure what point you're trying to make here.
Rodgers sat for years behind Favre and when he got his chance to start he still had growing pains.
Seems like you just want to debate for the sake of debating. I already said it's personal preference and the way I would do it is start the best player and I expect that Stroud will be the best QB on the roster.
You wouldn't do it that way. Ok, great. But bringing up all these stats of young QB's is meaningless...As I also said earlier, there's plenty examples of it working and not working both ways. You trying to make some definitive case for sitting is not going to work.
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My stand is that Stroud will start whenever DR thinks he's ready.
I was merely trying to point out that there are pros and cons.
It's the HC's job to weigh the pros and cons to make his decision.
xtruroyaltyx
Hall of Fame
lol, ok.
badboy
Hall of Fame
What a novel idea! Not Caserio or Cal or Hanna's? Hmm
Need to sleep on that. Seems sort of radical or ground breaking risky...
badboy
Hall of Fame
I'd feel better about JC's long, accurate throws if we had more speed with our WRs. Tank's 4.49 is okay but i hope his separation skills translate to NFL.
Personally, I am more interested in his mid level throws which should be productive.
Stroud should start day 1. I mean the colts are potentially starting richardson day 1 and Stroud is a more polished passer. I see no reason he doesnt beat out keenum
He had growing pains because sitting doesnt make you better playing does.
It's always interesting to me when you look at the three best QB's of all time.
Brady
Mahomes
Rodgers
Literally all of them sat for at least a year.
I mean.......its kind of hard to argue with.
CJ is going to be win the job though, because Dougie Mills just isn't that good.
And by the way... random, but was Tim Kelley actually good? He had Mills looking like a decent QB at time. Just feels like Pep was terrible.
The Colts picked up Gardner Minshew. I predict he'll start and that AR15 will be brought in gradually. AR is a strong-armed, physical, freak but a polished passer he is not. I think the Colts will regret picking him.
I agree with the bolded part. But Richardson is starting game 1.
I could argue with your all time list, to start with. But taking those QBs into account, Brady was not drafted to be a starter, and only became one because of injury. Mahomes had a very solid QB in front of him. Rodgers had a HOFer in front of him. All pretty unique situations. I think sitting behind good QBs helped these guys. But Peyton Manning didn't need to sit. Dan Marino did sit for a few games, but didn't need to. Joe Burrow played from the start. It's all situational. There's no secret recipe that has to be followed.
CJ will have to get better at making good decisions under pressure. Obviously Houston's scheme will be all-important. Assuming that Metchie is healthy I think the receiving corp could be really good.
Tank creates his separation with Quick starts and stops and changes of direction, once he has that separation 4.49 will keep him away for the defender long enough.
You're counting on 2 or 3 rookies (Metchie didn't play in 2022), one aging vet, and a young vet that has been injury prone. Dalton Schultz is the closest thing Stroud will have to a #1 target. It would be a huge plus for the Texans if this group becomes average in 2023.
I agree, the Texans don't really have a WR that can take the top off the defense. But, I don't think the deep ball will be heavily featured in the 2023 offense. More about getting the ball out on time and letting the receivers pick up YAC.
I like the two receivers drafted and perhaps a free agent signee such as Noah Brown can contribute.
Hardcore Texan
Magnet Man
I don't care how good he was in college, there is learning curve in the NFL for everyone especially at QB. I wish he could sit for part of the season, but that will never happen. He will be out there game 1 against the Ravens D, on the road. Talk about trial by fire.
I think CJ will be very good, but will take time to adjust to the speed of the NFL like everyone else. I just would like to see them set him up for success. I do trust Demeco to navigate the situation, so it should be a fun ride!
I think CJ will be very good, but will take time to adjust to the speed of the NFL like everyone else. I just would like to see them set him up for success. I do trust Demeco to navigate the situation, so it should be a fun ride!