C.J. Stroud to Start Texans' Preseason Opener vs. Patriots over Davis Mills

The Houston Texans will start rookie C.J. Stroud at quarterback for their preseason opener against the New England Patriots on Thursday.

Head coach DeMeco Ryans told NFL Network's Jane Slater and Tom Pelissero that Stroud earned the nod over Davis Mills. He said there still haven't been any decisions regarding the starter to open the regular season.

Rushing a young quarterback onto the field before he's ready can stunt his long-term development. That would presumably be the reason why Stroud isn't leading the offense in Week 1 if that comes to pass because Mills certainly didn't look like the solution last year.

The 2021 third-round pick was the primary starter in 2022 and the results were underwhelming. He threw for 3,118 yards, 17 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 15 appearances. His 33.1 QBR ranked 29th among qualified passers.

The Texans don't have any urgency to win right away, either. They're coming off a 3-13-1 season and didn't make a ton of impact additions. According to Over the Cap, Houston spent the 17th-highest total ($107.5 million) on the second-most players (29).

Nobody is expecting Ryans to produce much in terms of wins and losses right away, and that extends to Stroud. As long as the first-year signal-caller is showing signs of progress, he won't be blamed if the defeats start to pile up.

Beyond the fact Stroud is QB1 to start the preseason, Ryans may have tipped his hand about the regular season when he mistakenly said the No. 2 overall pick will be the guy against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are Houston's Week 1 opponent.

If nothing else, the starting job looks like Stroud's to lose.