Who will be C.J. Stroud’s No. 1 receiver in 2024? The better question is, which pass-catcher will rank dead last in the stat line?
Stroud, the face of the Houston Texans, doesn’t believe that the Texans have a top-ranked receiver and a slew of names that fall into line. He’s sold on the idea that heading into Year 2, he’ll have a “five-headed monster” of offensive skill positions.
“It’s definitely super dope to have just a bunch of options,” Stroud said following the first day of training camp.
Stroud, who took home the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year honors last season, might have a point regarding the personnel. The Texans ranked seventh overall in passing under first-year coordinator Bobby Slowik with a trio of talented targets.
5-headed monster?
C.J. Stroud likes the "super dope" options on the Texans offense. pic.twitter.com/k3NE9pFjiY
— Drew Dougherty (@DoughertyDrew) July 18, 2024
The trio has been a quintet with the additions of Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon and All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs. Both have proven their value as essential pieces on contending teams in Cincinnati and Buffalo, respectively.
Stroud, who became the fifth rookie in league history to throw for over 4,000 yards in their first season, already can see Diggs and Mixon meshing in with the returning talent.
“Stef is somebody who definitely can open up your playbook,” Stroud said. “But we have all of those guys around.”
The ‘guys’ include 2023 standouts Tank Dell and Nico Collins at receiver, plus Dalton Schultz at tight end. Schultz, who served as Stroud’s security blanket, is back for another stint after signing a three-year extension earlier this offseason.
Collins, who also agreed to a three-year extension this offseason, might be the NFL’s biggest riser at receiver entering 2024. Last season, he finished eighth in receiving yards and had eight touchdowns.
Dell, a third-round pick out of Houston, totaled h 709 yards and seven touchdowns before suffering a season-ending leg injury against Denver in early December. He’s back at full speed and seems eager to surpass the 1,000-yard marker.
Diggs, who’s led the NFL in receptions since 2020, not only enhances the Texans’ passing game but provides a level of leadership on offense. He’s been working with Stroud and Dell non-stop since arriving in Houston back in April.
On Thursday, Diggs pulled Dell aside following 7-on-7 drills to talk about hand placement when getting off the line of scrimmage. After practice, he was off working to the side with third-year receiver John Metchie on route breaks.
“The guys can learn a lot from a guy who has done it at a high level and for a very long time,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “They can learn some more tricks of the trade that maybe coaches don’t know that he can share with them.
“We want our veterans teaching our younger guys, and it’s really cool to see those guys working together.”
C.J. Stroud said there’s a “ton of things” he can improve on from last season. He mentioned offensive operation and desire to “own the offense” and attack down the field. #Texans pic.twitter.com/VABembAHu1
— Cody Stoots (@Cody_Stoots) July 18, 2024
Stroud acknowledged the Texans will have a much more daunting task at hand this year. Houston, which secured its first division title since 2019, has gone from being the hunters to the hunted after posting ten wins last fall.
The Texans also have pulled a 180 schedule-wise, going from having one of the more straightforward paths to the postseason to one of the hardest.
Stroud is up for the challenge to duplicate the team’s success in 2024. He also knows that with the new additions, the Texans have the personnel to advance a step further.
“Last year, I was blessed enough to have no egos and everybody just wanted to see everyone do well, but also do well themselves, of course. When that’s in the locker room, it’s nothing but success waiting to happen.”