During this NFL offseason's training in preparation for next regular season standing a few months away, Houston Texans ' quarterback C.J. Stroud did see a fair share of buzz surrounding his health, as he was sidelined from throwing during OTAs with an eye-catching shoulder injury, leading to a few concerns around the media as to if he'll be ready to go at 100% once training camp rolls around.
Of course, when any NFL quarterback is sidelined due to injury, even in OTAs, it's sure to capture notable attention. However, in the eyes of some, those lingering questions surrounding Stroud's health in the Texans' offseason training may have been one of the more overblown storylines of the past month.
NFL.com analyst Judy Battista broke down a few of the league's top overreactions from OTAs and minicamp that may have spiraled out of control throughout recent weeks, where "C.J. Stroud's partial participation" in OTAs was right in that mix.
"Obviously, this bears monitoring, but it's too early to stress about Stroud experiencing what the Texans described as 'general soreness' in his right shoulder, which led them to keep Stroud from throwing during OTAs. Stroud himself scoffed at any concerns after subsequently throwing during minicamp, saying he felt great and partially attributing the soreness to the hard work he did in the offseason to get faster and stronger."
"Stroud did not have a documented shoulder injury last season, his second in the NFL. Two facts that were well-documented: He played behind an overmatched offensive line and with an injury-depleted receiving corps. It was a promising sign that he threw in minicamp, so until further notice, this one appears to be, as general manager Nick Caserio said, 'much ado about nothing.' It moves quickly into complete freakout territory if Stroud is limited in any way when training camp opens."
In the eyes of the Texans' brass, and even Stroud himself, those shoulder concerns are of little to no worry, and shouldn't hinder him once time for training camp rolls around later next month. If that situation pans out as expected, Houston's offense could be in fine shape.
However, if there's any signs of regression of limitations from Stroud is where things could get messy, quickly. Especially with a brand-new offensive line, core of weapons, and a new offensive play-caller and coordinator in Nick Caley, this Texans offense needs their third-year quarterback to be at 100% once the season gets rolling, and certainly in a loaded AFC where every week matters.
Based on his ability to throw with no concerns and showing positive signs at minicamp, Stroud is looking solid heading into 2025, but time will tell exactly how strong he bounces back from a bumpy sophomore campaign.
