Texans QB C.J. Stroud with limited, lackluster NFL debut

This was not the performance C.J. Stroud and the Texans wanted to see on Thursday night.

On Thursday night, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud made his NFL debut against the New England Patriots. Stroud’s first game lasted all of two series and 11 plays and included an interception.

On the night, Stroud went 2-for-4 for 13 passing yards and the aforementioned interception. Stroud ran the ball twice for six yards as well.

No one expected Stroud to come out and dominate but this was truly underwhelming. It was really put into perspective when you watched how well backups Case Keenum and Davis Mills played. Keenum went 9-for-14 for 79 yards and a touchdown and Miles went 9-for-12 for 99 yards and a passing touchdown of his own.

It is only one game but this isn’t the type of performance you expect from the No. 2 overall pick. The Texans have two more preseason games to determine if they are comfortable starting the season with Stroud running the offense or if it would be better to opt for a safer veteran option.

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The NFL’s best available free agents as training camps begin

As training camps begin, and the preseason is nearly upon us, here are the best free agent players left in the NFL.

Rookies and veterans are reporting to training camps around the NFL, which means that our long national nightmare of life without professional football is nearly over. Yay, but for a lot of veterans in the league, there’s still an element of waiting by the phone to hear from their agents regarding interests from NFL teams.

Not every veteran — even veterans who are still playing at a high level — have homes when training camps start. A lot of the players listed below will find those homes before preseason games begin in early August, and some will have to wait longer. (Yes, there are veterans who would prefer to eschew training camp entirely, and that has something to do with it).

So, as we head into the pre-preseason, here are the best players who, at this point, are still looking for their new NFL destinations.