After winning the 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, C.J. Stroud looked poised to become a star for the Houston Texans.
He wasn't terrible in his sophomore season but he also didn't look nearly as impressive as he did during that rookie campaign.
Most of the blame fell on the shoulders of offensive coordinator, Bobby Slowik, who was fired when the season ended. Houston will now turn to Nick Caley, who rose to prominence under Sean McVay with the Los Angeles Rams.
The Texans are banking on his arrival, and a potential shake-up on the offensive line, to get Stroud back on track. While they're optimistic heading into 2025, not everyone is a believer.
For example, Connor Orr of SI.com doesn’t see the Texans’ offense returning to form this season. He even goes as far as to say they no longer have a scapegoat in Slowik.
”The Texans will not see C.J. Stroud improve upon his rookie season numbers in 2025, despite the transition to Nick Caley as offensive coordinator. We’re seeing a lot of the blame placed on Bobby Slowik for an inability to push the needle offensively. But now that the Texans have a new coordinator, we may finally be able to parse out the blame properly.” — Orr, SI.com
He doesn't come right out and point the finger at Stroud, but Orr's comments seem to suggest he didn't get enough blame for the issues in 2024. That point can be debated but Orr is correct in saying we'll have our answer his season.
With Slowik now joining the Miami Dolphins, it will be hard to turn the spotlight away from Stroud should he struggle again in 2025. Caley is getting his first chance as a play-caller but is well-respected for his work as the passing game coordinator in Los Angeles.
It's reasonable to have faith Stroud will succeed under him, but the questions from Orr are justified. Here's to hoping the Texans can prove him wrong.