NFL Rumors: Texans' C.J. Stroud Likely Out vs. Browns amid Concussion Protocol

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is in line to miss his second straight game.

Stroud remains in concussion protocol and is likely to miss Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns, according to ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime.

"He should miss another game," one source told Bien-Aime.

Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 in Houston reported Monday that Stroud "is making incremental progress in his recovery as he's still dealing with common symptoms, including a sensitivity to light."

Stroud suffered a concussion in Houston's 30-6 loss to the New York Jets on Dec. 10. The rookie took a late hit by Jets tackle Quinnen Williams and hit his head hard on the MetLife Stadium turf.

Case Keenum filled in for Stroud in Sunday's 19-16 win over the Tennessee Titans, completing 23 of 36 passes for 229 yards and one touchdown against one interception as the Texans improved to 8-6 and remain on the playoff bubble.

If Stroud is unable to suit up against the Browns, Keenum would be in line to start over Davis Mills.

The injury to Stroud is a tough blow for both the player and the Texans. The 2023 No. 2 overall pick was in contention to finish the regular season as the NFL's leader in passing yards before going down and he's almost certainly the top contender for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

In 13 games, Stroud has completed 62.4 percent of his passes for 3,631 yards and 20 touchdowns against five interceptions, in addition to rushing for 143 yards and three scores.

Stroud has transformed the Texans into one of the AFC's top playoff contenders following three straight years of posting a losing record, but it looks like Keenum is going to have to pull off some magic for at least one more week if Houston hopes to stay alive in the postseason race.