Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio is committed to C.J. Stroud and finds trade speculation online to be “moronic” going into the quarterback’s fourth season.
“He’s our quarterback. He isn’t going anywhere. We have a lot of confidence, a lot of belief,” Caserio said at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday in Indianapolis. “I’m glad he’s our quarterback.”
In his third season, Stroud started 14 games and the team went 9-5 as he completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He missed three games because of a concussion sustained in Week 9.
His struggles in two playoff games, throwing five interceptions — including four in a loss the New England Patriots — and fumbling five times (losing two) in an earlier wild-card win over Pittsburgh, gave seed to online trade talk.
“This league is about ups and downs,” Caserio said. “Nothing’s perfect. There was no team that was undefeated unless I missed something this year, that’s not going to happen. By and large, we’re probably going to lose five or six games. There’s going to be some margin on either side. You’re going to have some good plays. You’re going to have some bad plays. You’re going to have some good games. You’re going to have some bad games.
“How do you bounce back? How do you handle that? This league is a one-game-at-a-time proposition,” he continued “How you handle every situation ultimately is going to determine your success and your longevity. No lost confidence.”
For his career, Stroud has completed 63.8% of his passes for 10,876 yards and 62 TDs with 25 interceptions in 46 regular-season games (all starts) with a record of 28-18. His rookie campaign of 4,108 yards, 23 TDs to five picks in 15 games earned him Pro Bowl and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2023.
Houston selected Stroud second overall in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Ohio State.
