Certainty isn’t the forte of the Houston Texans. The pieces move faster than light. But amidst the changing coordinators, secondary, and the OL, there has been one constant: CJ Stoud is QB1. That was never going to change for years to come. He’s the face of the franchise, after all. Let’s not be too sure. As we start off with the second week of training camp, that once-ironclad narrative is starting to show its first real cracks. The guy who once made everything look effortless suddenly looks off. What happens when your franchise QB becomes a shadow of his former self?

This is not media chatter or a hot take; it’s what’s happening on the field inside the Texans’ training facility. And insider Adam Wexler gave us an insight into exactly what’s going on with CJ Stroud. “Had another 11 on 11 session, where CJ Stroud couldn’t even complete a pass. He had one completion, but he went one for 6. Couple more pressures, couple more turned to scrambles, a lot of situations where there wasn’t anyone open,” he noted. Yes, it is really that bad.

This is not an isolated incident either. Even more concerning? The eye test matches the headlines. Multiple practice reports have highlighted how Stroud’s timing and touch seem just a tick off. Especially under pressure.

Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter have basically set up camp in the backfield, and it’s messing with CJ’s head. It almost looked like “he was throwing blindfolded out there.” It’s early, sure. But right now, the offense feels like it’s holding its breath every time No. 7 drops back.

And Stroud’s struggles aren’t his own. It echoes a deeper problem across the OL. Despite bringing in new weapons like Areontae Ersery and vet Cam Robinson, the Texans‘ OL still feels wobbly. Stroud spent last season running for his life (38.6% pressure rate, second-most sacks in the league), and based on what we’re seeing in camp, not much has changed. The revamped coaching and scheme tweaks? So far, just window dressing. Stroud’s still getting swallowed up before plays can even develop.

It’s just training camp, but this is a matter of real concern, particularly for Stroud. At this age, players are supposed to grow every season. After a rookie season that had Stroud crowned Offensive Rookie of the Year, and a second year that saw him come back down to earth a bit, how can you not be concerned? Because the dip we saw last season isn’t nothing.

CJ Stroud’s underlying issues are structural

That day 8 meltdown was more than just a bad day at the office for Stroud. More like the latest chapter in a sophomore slide that’s hard to brush off. Just look at the numbers. Stroud’s passer rating dipped from 100.8 to 87.0, his touchdown count stalled at 17, and he doubled his picks to 11. Even his yards per game took a noticeable hit. It would’ve been understandable if Stroud were in his 30s, but the man is 23.

The lingering tightness in his shoulders from the OTAs capped his throwing reps just as he was supposed to be syncing up with new OC Nick Caley. When your mechanics never quite lock in during install, everything downstream gets wobbly. One of the many reasons why his rhythm looks off.

Even when Stroud pushed back, like with that crisp two-minute drill on Monday that ended in a Ka’imi Fairbairn field goal, it wasn’t too pretty. The defense has owned most days, and ESPN’s camp notes made it plain: the picks and pass breakups are piling up, and Stroud’s relying more on scrambling than working through reads.

So, no. This isn’t about coming into the training camp in bad shape. These issues are structural. They have been in place since last season. And if Stroud doesn’t change that narrative this season? The QB1 tag won’t be there for too long.