DECEMBER 24: Although the Texans will officially be without their starting quarterback for a second straight week, he has a decent chance to come back on New Year’s Eve. Stroud’s symptoms are subsiding, per Wilson, who adds he has a decent chance of resuming some football activities this week. The Ohio State product has indeed shown progress while in concussion protocol, and ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter indicates there is optimism about a return for the team’s Week 17 game against the Titans.
DECEMBER 20: The Texans made an unexpected switch for Week 15, moving to Case Keenum rather than Davis Mills. That depth chart adjustment is likely to be relevant once again for the surprise playoff contender.
C.J. Stroud is not expected to return in Week 16, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite is still experiencing symptoms from the concussion he suffered against the Jets, with Wilson adding sensitivity to light remains an issue for the No. 2 overall pick.
Stroud will not be cleared for practice Wednesday. The Texans added recent Jets starter Tim Boyle to their practice squad Tuesday. Boyle, who started two games for the Jets before being waived a day after the latter start, now sits behind Keenum and Mills among healthy Houston quarterbacks.
While Stroud’s season is likely to continue, it is obviously a concern he is on track to remain in concussion protocol for a second game. That said, Stroud’s health is obviously paramount here. The Texans toiled in anonymity during the two-year period between Deshaun Watson‘s QB1 run and Stroud’s arrival. They are in this surprising 8-6 spot largely because of the pick they made in April. The Texans have a 51.5% chance to make the playoffs, per ESPN’s FPI. They face the Browns, who carried Keenum as their backup from 2020-21, on Sunday.
Keenum, 35, piloted Houston to an overtime win over Tennessee. The journeyman QB agreed to return to Houston in March, and the Texans rebuffed trade inquiries on he and Mills this year. The team viewed Keenum as a quality Stroud mentor, though Mills was believed to be in place as the backup prior to Week 15. Attached to a two-year, $6.25MM deal, the former Texans UDFA now has 65 career starts under his belt.
It’s amazing that Boyle continues to find jobs
In a league that has Mason Rudolph as a starter, nothing surprises me anymore.
Rudolph has proven a bit more than Boyle, though…
Houston has a pretty supporting cast for Stroud, who has played well himself. If Keenum can avoid mistakes and get the ball to his playmakers, they should be fine. The Texans have-smartly-not asked their QB to do too much and make good decisions. Keenum has been a backyard football type of guy at his best, which is a bit opposite of Stroud and the current offense, but you figure that, as a veteran, he should be able to avoid mistakes and put his playmakers in good position.
As for Stroud himself, I’m sure that this helps Puka Nacua in the ORoY race. Quarterback bias is pretty real, though…
There is no ROY race. This was locked up weeks ago by Stroud.
You’re probably right, but Nacua IS making a really strong case. That’s kind of what i meant by the last line-QB is always going to get the nod in awards. If it were up to me, i’d have to give it to Nacua, with all due respect to Stroud.