How much should you expect C.J. Stroud to play in the preseason?

A few days ago, football returned. The NFL Hall of Fame Game featured our Houston Texans opening up this year's preseason action.

Of course, we did not see the stars come out in that one. There was no C.J. Stroud under center for the Texans, but for good reason. This an extra preseason game for Houston, so they wouldn't dare risking injury for any of their key players, especially their team leader in Stroud.

That brings up a good question though: how much will Stroud play during the 2024 preseason?

First, let's look back at his rookie preseason before diving into this year's situation.

Stroud played two series in his first preseason game, which equaled about half a quarter. In his second preseason game as a rookie, he played an entire half, which gave him four series in total. Then, in his final preseason game of 2023, Stroud played just one series.

Does it make sense for C.J. Stroud to play at all during the 2024 preseason?

Houston added many players on both sides of the ball this offseason, and it would indeed make sense for Stroud to get, at least, some live action with his entire unit this preseason. Working on chemistry with the likes of Stefon Diggs, in practice, is one thing. But, giving it a shot against a live opponent is another.

Now, seeing him get some live reps in the preseason could be a good thing, but let's not act like he's too young to receive the "star" treatment. Players like Aaron Rodgers and Justin Herbert didn't play at all last preseason, among others. The Jets and Chargers knew what they had in their guys, and risking a preseason injury wasn't worth it in the end.

Taking the injury risk into consideration, too, we can venture to guess that Stroud will get very limited time during the remaining preseason games. Head coach DeMeco Ryans hasn't specifically stated his plans for Stroud, but it would seem likely for the second-year quarterback to play one series in the second preseason game against Pittsburgh on Friday night. Then, on Saturday Aug. 17 against the Giants, we might see Stroud play two-to-four series.

But, in the team's final preseason game against the Rams on the following Saturday, it would be shocking to see Stroud out there at all.

Giving the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year any more than six series this preseason would be surprising to see from Ryans. Stroud will benefit from simply being out there against a live opponent, even if it is to hand the ball off more often than not. For now, we can expect to see him on a limited basis until the regular season kicks off.