NFL insiders says C.J. Stroud 'doesn't look the same' as he did in 2023

The 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year isn't playing his best football this season.

The Houston Texans entered the 2024 campaign as one of the top teams in the AFC. They were led by the 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud on one side and the 2023 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Will Anderson, Jr., on the other.

Anderson has already eclipsed his production from that stellar rookie campaign. The second-year defensive end has 9.5 sacks despite missing two games — compared to 7.0 as a rookie.

Stroud, on the other hand, hasn't been as effective. While he did have a strong start, he's cooled off recently as Houston has gone 2-4 over their past six games. Stroud has struggled to protect the ball during that time, with five interceptions in their past three games. He had just five picks in 15 games as a rookie, which explains why Albert Breer says he doesn't look the same.

While speaking on the Texans in his latest column, Breer said we've seen enough of Stroud this year to come to the conclusion that something's off from his stellar rookie campaign.

"We have enough of a sample size at this point to say C.J. Stroud doesn’t look the same as he did as a rookie. And with some of the associated frustrations, I do wonder whether that’ll lead to some changes to the offensive staff in Houston, if things don’t resolve themselves by the end of the year (and they could, since the Texans still happen to be in first place)."

Stroud has shown flashes of the player we saw in 2023 but he's also been under heavy pressure. Houston's offensive line has been a major concern. Through 12 games, Stroud has been pressured 191 times according to The 33rd Team — which is more than any QB in the league.

Houston is also hampered by questionable playcalling from offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. He's been given full control of the offense by head coach DeMeco Ryans and has been accused of being predictable. He's also done a poor job of getting yards on early downs, leading to some impossible situations on third downs.

The Texans have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball but they need to get their offense figured out. That starts with helping Stroud feel comfortable in the pocket. Thankfully, they still have a bye week coming up, allowing them time to work some kinks out before the final stretch.