Houston Texans star quarterback C.J. Stroud has been named as a bounce-back candidate for the 2025 season, per Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report.
Stroud led the Texans to a second-straight AFC South title and another victory in the Wild Card Round, but his numbers did regress in the 2024 season.
In his rookie campaign in 2023, Stroud completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and five interceptions. In 2024, his numbers dipped, as he completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 3,727 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
While the numbers fell, the blame can't be put solely on Stroud. He dealt with injuries to all three of his top receivers, as Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell all missed time.
Heading into the 2025 campaign, Stroud has a new array of weapons. Houston added wideouts Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel in the draft while acquiring Christian Kirk in a trade. They also signed running back Nick Chubb in free agency.
These new weapons will pair with Collins, running back Joe Mixon, and tight end Dalton Schultz, giving Stroud many outlets to throw the ball to.
With the Texans' new weapons, Stroud is poised for a bounce-back season as the Texans look to be true contenders in the AFC.
