It’s been a rough patch for CJ Stroud and the Houston offense. As they enter Week 3 of training camp, the Bayou City is still trying to shake off the offensive cobwebs. After firing Bobby Slowik, the Texans brought in Nick Caley to take the reins. Then they added three new receivers—Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins, and Jaylin Noel. But frankly, none of it has translated into anything promising on the practice field yet.
Even after shifting out of the Methodist Training Center to The Greenbrier, the Texans’ offense continued to be steamrolled by their own defense. On the very first drive of team drills, he was picked off by C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who took it back for six. That marked Stroud’s fifth straight practice with an interception. But it didn’t end there.
On the final snap of practice, Davis Mills fired one into the hands of E.J. Speed. It wasn’t a touchdown, but it sealed another win for the defense. And while pass protection showed flashes, thanks to Tay Ersery stepping in for Cam Robinson, the offense still couldn’t click. Nick Chubb and Woody Marks barely found breathing room. At this point, even Caley seemed out of ideas—leaning heavily on the pass game to compensate.
Still, Texans HC DeMeco Ryans had one eye on what’s ahead. “It’s becoming that time of camp where it’s getting a little chippy – (we’ll) be excited at the end of the week when it’s time to go against Minnesota,” he said as per Adam Wexler. That was less of a pep talk, more of a heads-up to Vikings QB JJ McCarthy—who’s returning from a year-long injury.
#Texans DeMeco Ryans after #TrainingCamp practice 10 (1st of 4 in WVa)
– “it’s becoming that time of camp where it’s getting a little chippy – (we’ll) be excited at the end of the week when it’s time to go against Minnesota.”
– “…being here (at the @The_Greenbrier) is awesome,… pic.twitter.com/c7lZLoJvLs
— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) August 4, 2025
To that point, Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell confirmed McCarthy will play in Saturday’s opener against the Texans. The Twin Cities crowd is eager to see their No. 10 pick return to form after tossing 188 yards and two scores in last year’s preseason debut before injury. But if the Texans want to avoid becoming his highlight reel, Stroud and the offense better clean it up—fast.
CJ Stroud & the Texans offense try to find their rhythm
For a quarterback who lit up the league as a rookie, CJ Stroud knows just how fast things can change in the Bayou City. He turned heads and made history, joining icons like Joe Montana and Tom Brady with his passing efficiency. He didn’t just carry the Texans—he flat-out revived them. But the training camp isn’t helping him. However, with a new offensive coordinator and a revamped locker room, he’s back in reset mode.
In fact, he’s been surprisingly composed about the slow start. “It takes time,” he said during camp. “It’s not something that happens overnight. I feel like we’re getting better every day.” It’s been a grind, especially with the defense outplaying the offense most days. But according to Stroud, the daily conversations with coaches and teammates are pushing them in the right direction.
Moreover, his bounce-back plan is already in motion. Stroud followed up his AP Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign with 3,727 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 picks last season. This year, he’s embracing Nick Caley’s scheme with open arms. “Just challenges every year. I don’t really look at it as a challenge, more like an opportunity to learn something new about the game of football and also take the opportunity to help other guys,” he explained.
What’s stood out even more is his growth as a vocal leader. As former OC Bobby Slowik had said, “He has no fear in asking the room a question.” Stroud himself admitted, “I think, next step for me is taking the guys around me to think the same way and to get them to buy into what, as a team, we’re trying to do.” Fine-tuning with peers will certainly help in providing the well-needed direction to the Texans’ offense.
Despite the surrounding talent—Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Joe Mixon—the Texans still finished bottom-10 in EPA, yards per play, and success rate last season. But Stroud isn’t ducking any of that. He’s meeting the adversity head-on, and this time, he’s bringing H-Town with him.
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