On Wednesday, the Texans became the first team to fully report to training camp this season, and there’s good reason to believe they’ll be the last team standing.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted that quarterback C.J. Stroud became only the eighth rookie since 1950 to win a playoff game after leading the Texans to a 45-14 win over the Browns in the 2023 AFC wild-card round.
“Five of the previous seven QBs also won a playoff game their second season and two of them, Ben Roethlisberger and Russell Wilson, won the Super Bowl,” Schefter continued.
Last year, Stroud was named Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year after throwing for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns while recording the league’s lowest interception rate (one percent).
In an ESPN survey of league executives, coaches and scouts, Stroud ranked as the seventh-best quarterback in the league entering the 2024 season.
“A few voters believe he’s top-three already,” Jeremy Fowler noted in the story outlining that survey.
But Stroud isn’t the only reason to be optimistic about the Texans this year. During the offseason, Houston added edge-rusher Danielle Hunter, who had a career-high 16.5 sacks with the Vikings in 2023.
A four-time Pro Bowler, Hunter could form one of, if not the best pass-rushing duos in the NFL with 2023 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr.
The Texans also acquired former Bengals running back Joe Mixon and Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs in trades.
Mixon had 257 carries, 1,034 yards and nine rushing touchdowns last season, while Diggs had his sixth consecutive 1,000-yard season, finishing the season with 107 receptions, 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns.
Per ESPN Bet, Houston (+1600) ranks eighth in preseason odds to win Super Bowl LIX. That’s its best preseason odds since 2018 (+1200), when it finished the season 11-5 but lost to the Colts 21-7 in the wild-card round.
The Texans play the Bears in the 2024 Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 1.
They travel to Indianapolis for an AFC South battle with the Colts in Week 1 of the regular season on Sept. 8.
