6 emergency QB options if the Houston Texans lose C.J. Stroud to injury in 2023
- Teddy Bridgewater is a decent emergency option
- Joe Flacco brings instant veteran leadership
- Carson Wentz is a high-risk/high-reward option
The Houston Texans are looking to start a new chapter in their franchise with a new coaching staff led by DeMeco Ryan while also drafting C.J. Stroud second overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. The hope is that Stroud can be that cornerstone piece to their roster for the next decade and make the Texans competitive in the AFC South and the AFC as a whole.
The expectation is that Stroud should be the starter for most of the season as he gets familiar with playing at the NFL level. However, what if Stroud is forced to miss time during this season? The Texans have some options, both on the roster and in free agency, to step in as an emergency option if Stroud suffers an injury in 2023.
6 emergency QB options if the Houston Texans lose C.J. Stroud to injury in 2023
Case Keenum/Davis Mills
The obvious choice would be the quarterbacks that the Houston Texans have on the roster. They still have Davis Mills, who has been the starter the past two seasons and certainly did some good things that DeMeco Ryan's coaching staff should be confident they could win with him.
However, the more likely candidate to be the first quarterback onto the field to replace C.J. Stroud would be Case Keenum. The Texans signed the veteran quarterback this offseason after he spent last season with the Buffalo Bills.
Keenum is a journeyman and has played with a number of franchises over his career and shown to be a reliable backup that can step on the field at a moment's notice. The best example of this is in 2021 when he started two games in place of Baker Mayfield and would go 2-0 and would probably be the best candidate to be an emergency quarterback if C.J. Stroud misses any time in 2023.