Texans' C.J. Stroud named top 10 QB by survey of execs and coaches
But where does Stroud rank nationally among those in the league? As he enters his third season, the Pro Bowl passer has firmly planted himself in The Athletic's top 10 quarterbacks, as voted on by 50 NFL coaches and executives, coming in tied for ninth with Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts. The biggest differentiator for the voters between making him an elite player and a quarterback "you can win games with" comes down to his development behind a mediocre offensive line.
"He got rattled because of his offensive line, and you saw that in his play," an anonymous defensive coordinator said. "When I watched them, I felt like he felt the rush. Because of that, I still think the talent is in there."
Last season, Stroud was sacked 52 times, second-most among passers and only behind Chicago's Caleb Williams. Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell, three receivers who were expected to be a trio of terror, all missed at least five games, including the latter two suffering season-ending injuries.
"Everybody wants to downgrade C.J.," another coordinator said. "His No. 1 receiver was out, the line did not play great, the run game wasn't there like it should have been."
Even without a strong supporting cast for a majority of the year, Stroud guided Houston to significant wins over the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys and all three division rivals en route to a second 10-win season. In the playoffs, his second-half comeback against the Los Angeles Chargers also marked the second double-digit playoff win of Stroud's career.
"I read an article, they said it's time for him to take the next step," said an offensive coach. "What is the next step? It's time for his team to take the next step. He's pretty damn productive."
This is an important season for Stroud's future. With a promising campaign, the former No. 2 overall pick could be the No. 1 quarterback in terms of annual salary with a new extension after the season. While Stroud isn't in jeopardy of retiring or regressing at 24, the Texans are tired of seeing their season end in the divisional round.
If voters think Stroud can "win games" for his roster, it's time for him to live up to billing.
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