Texans GM praises TE Cade Stover as 'most improved player' of the offseason
C.J. Stroud would be a smart option, but he's already won Offensive Rookie of the Year as a baseline.
Calen Bullock or Kamari Lassiter would suffice, but their eight combined interception set a record for the most takeaways by a pair of Texans in franchise history.
With a need at tight end, having anyone step up to provide a consistent force would benefit the offense under new play-caller Nick Caley. General manager Nick Caserio won't have a say on who DeMeco Ryans rolls out with the first-team offense, but he's excited to see what Cade Stover does in Year 2 after a promising offseason.
"You would be hard for us to do find a player that's improved as much as Cade in the offseason. Really took advantage of his opportunities. Always has the right mentality and the right approach and mindset," Caserio said. "I think most young players going from Year One to Two have an opportunity for growth and development really more physically because they have a full year in the program, so as soon as the season is over what, are you doing in February, March, April, May to get yourself ready for the off season program. Cade, along with a number of other players certainly took advantage of his opportunities. We're glad he's here, and looking forward to potentially what he can bring to our football team.'
Stover, the Texans' fourth-round pick in 2024, showed glimpses of being a well-rounded tight end during the early stages of training camp, but he never broke through the starting lineup. He suffered a collarbone injury late in the year that sidelined him for the rest of the regular season.
Stover doesn't have one elite trait, but he offers skills as a well-rounded option. He can block, win in one-on-one routes and make plays in space without dropping passes. The Texans are sure to take full advantage of his skill set this season, especially with Caley's background of working with tight ends.
The Texans don't need Stover to become the next Travis Kelce, but finding a stable No. 1 threat along with decent depth would suffice to help Houston get over the hump and into the conference championship.
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