Refusing to rest on the laurels of their surprising 2023 season, the Houston Texans have been busy concocting an enhanced offensive beast for 2024.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud is of the mind that the new-and-improved version could well be a horrendous opponent for defenses to stop.
"It's a five-headed monster," Stroud said Thursday, via team transcript. "It's definitely super dope to have just a bunch of options."
Making up the ghastly group are returning wide receivers Nico Collins and Tank Dell, returning tight end Dalton Schultz and trade acquisitions Stefon Diggs at receiver and Joe Mixon at running back.
With the additions of Diggs, Mixon and defensive end Danielle Hunter, the Texans made history by becoming the first team in history to add players who respectively had 100 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and 10-plus sacks.
It's been a historic and telling offseason, with Houston leaving no questions about its intent to become an AFC heavyweight.
Offensively speaking, Houston is looking to give Stroud the talent needed to lead the club beyond just repeating as AFC South titlists, but ascending to Super Bowl contenders. In Diggs, the Texans have a perennial Pro Bowler regarded as one of the game's top receivers and is now surrounded by a dynamic slot in Dell and Collins, one of the league's most promising young receivers. Mixon, though he's entering his age-28 season, is still coming off his fourth 1,000-yard campaign. And Schultz is a proven tight end who's now tallied 55-plus catches and north of 575 yards in four straight years.
"It's not going to be easy," Stroud said. "It's going to be harder. We have a target on our back this year. That's how you should want it and that's what I'm used to playing at Ohio State. I'm really honored and blessed to have the teammates that I do to want that challenge and for guys to want to come and play here. This Texas team isn't for everybody. It's hard here and we're blessed enough to play a game that we've been playing since we were kids. I definitely do think that all the expectations, we just work, everything will take care of itself. The story is already written."
Stroud, the reigning AP ąú˛úÍâÁ÷ÍřOffensive Rookie of the Year, thrilled a revived fan base with 4,108 passing yards, 23 touchdown passes and just five interceptions during Houston's turnaround 10-7 campaign.
He unlocked the potential of Collins, who was electric to the tune of 1,297 receiving yards and eight TDs on 80 catches. Dell, part of an already sensational '23 Texans rookie class that also includes reigning DROY Will Anderson Jr., posted 709 yards and seven TD grabs in only 11 games before he was sidelined with a broken leg.
"It's fun," Stroud of having Dell, Collins and more to throw to. "A lot of hungry guys and guys who have played some great ball in their careers and just ready to win and ready to eat. So, it's very exciting. We're just trying to build that chemistry and timing right now and it's going pretty good so far."
Houston's trade to add Diggs was perhaps the offseason's most emphatic statement that the Texans weren't content with being a one-year story of success. They're looking to keep their window of winning wide open.
"He's somebody who loves the game and doesn't cheat it and that's why he's been successful and I think he'll continue that success," Stroud said of Diggs, who's been voted to four straight Pro Bowls and produced six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. "I'm blessed enough to, hopefully, be a part of that. That's some things that just stuck out to me. Just how personable he is, how relatable he is. He's really friendly and very vocal, so it's really nice to have him around."
As Stroud and the Texans are looking to build on their success, the Ohio State product is just as well looking to foster his game, no matter how impressive it was in a dazzling rookie campaign.
He said there are a "ton of things" he's working on, but notably he wants to take ownership of the offense.
He showed in 2023 he's got the ability and skill set. In 2024, he's got the monsters, too.
"It's up to me to set the standard and I have to do that every day," Stroud said, "so I'm very excited."
