Like all 32 NFL franchises, the Texans are currently navigating the roster reduction process to reach the mandatory 53-man limit. With several roster decisions still pending, they entered their final preseason matchup against the Lions. During this contest, one particular player emerged and made a notable impression on the coach as well. The man in the spotlight, Houston’s sixth-round pick of 2025 draft: Rookie QB Graham Mertz.

He gave every ounce of himself in the preseason finale against the Lions. “I can go out there and operate the offense,” Mertz said, his performance doing most of the talking. He finished 14 of 16 for 145 yards and a touchdown. It was a stark contrast to his first outing, the three-interception debut against the Vikings, a turnaround he credits to a shift in mindset. “I think just subconsciously, coming off my knee that quick, I think that kind of messed with me. Blew it with frantic feet. But when you go out there and play a game like that in Minnesota, especially as a quarterback, you’ve got to learn from it. I learned from it quickly. I realized you’ve got to have your feet in control, your eyes in control, everything tied together when you’re playing. It was a really good learning experience, but I was ready to get out there and go play.” Mertz sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee during the Gators’ matchup against Tennessee on October 12, 2024.

His coach, DeMeco Ryans, was impressed: “Really proud of Graham with the way he got in and really commanded the offense,” Ryans gushed even further. “He was under control, he played with great energy, great communication, and did a really nice job of moving the ball up and down the field. I’m happy he was able to get some playing time, get some significant time.”

Coach further provided us with a clearer stance on Mertz’s previous games: “His first two games, I didn’t feel like he got enough significant playing time, which was towards the ends of the games, so that was the reason why we went in with him first, just to get him more meaningful reps. I’ve been talking about guys taking advantage of the reps they’re given. Graham definitely did that; he has a bright future here.”

Before this, Mertz competed for the Florida Gators, where he recorded 333 completions for 3,694 yards with only 5 interceptions over his two-year tenure with the program. After the game, Mertz was all praises for the new OC, Nick Caley. “Nick has been awesome, just his overall scheme,” Mertz said. “I think the biggest thing is he puts a lot on the quarterback, which is fun, and that’s what you want as a quarterback. You want to be able to be in control of the protections, the run checks. Whether it’s pass concepts you can change, say they give you coverage zero, you’ve got a zero answer. So, it gives the quarterback a lot of freedom to make it right, that was one thing that in college I had that, too. So, coming into the league and having that right away was definitely fun because it was an easy transition.”

So in a single evening, Mertz made sure to clear the murky feelings about the stability behind Stroud, giving the Texans and their fans a hefty dose of reassurance despite his injuries. With the QB depth chart solidified, the focus amplifies on the elite pairing of QB Stroud and Pro Bowl WR Nico Collins.

The dangerous duo of Ryans’ offense

For Stroud and Collins, their partnership has evolved after two beautiful playoff runs. Their numbers are absolutely stunning – 148 catches, 2,303 yards, and 15 touchdowns in just 27 regular-season games together. In postseason play, the production has been equally impressive with a combined 23 receptions for 367 yards and two touchdowns across four playoff contests. During those playoff games, Stroud consistently prioritized finding his primary target downfield, directing 33 passes toward Collins.

Speaking about their partnership, Collins said, “It’s like taking candy from a baby,” Collins told KPRC 2 following the joint practice with the Lions. He described their bond. “It’s bread and butter. It’s only right for us to continue to grow, continue to find the timing, and continue to work on our craft.” Calibrating Texans’ future as we speak.

Collins, the quiet force who has become a premier NFL wideout, knows the grind never truly ends. “You can’t get comfortable. I feel like that’s one thing you can’t do in this league is get comfortable. I feel like for us, me and him, continue to grow as a unit as an offense and continue to click. Everybody, that’s our goal.” The one demand he has from himself and Stroud is to stay away from complacency and keep moving forward without resting on their laurels.

And being part of that unit, Stroud said that, “We have a really good relationship,”  further adding, “He is very to himself, very quiet. But he talks to me about a lot. I talk to him about a lot. I think we’re really on the same page all the time. There’s only a couple times throughout the day where we probably don’t be on the same page.”

It’s truly a great match. This is the standard now in Houston. It’s a standard set by a rookie backup QB, silencing doubts or a star receiver refusing to rest on his laurels. As the Texans prep for a run, they believe they can ‘shock the world.’  The understudy is ready for his cue, and the leading men are already in rhythm,only time will tell where this team finishes its run.