Texan's Stroud remains calm amid ongoing QB battle

Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud isn't sweating Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans' decision not to name a starter ahead of the team's preseason finale.

"I ain't tripping. Just do what's on my plate. I'm not worried about anybody else's plate. I got to focus on what we got going on in this locker room," Stroud said, according to ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime.

Houston remains the only team in the league not to have named their starting quarterback ahead of the regular season. The Texans did announce that Stroud would get the start in Sunday's final tuneup contest against the New Orleans Saints.

While Ryans has fielded plenty of questions about the starting quarterback competition between Stroud and Davis Mills, the first-year head coach insists that everyone on the roster is battling for a job and has to earn their spot.

"We know we put a lot of emphasis on a quarterback and that position, but man, we have to see who's going to be starting up front on D-line, who's going to be starting on O-line," he said, according to Houston Chronicle's Brooks Kubena.

The Texans are looking for a spark under center after its offense averaged the league's fewest yards per drive in each of the past two seasons. The Ohio State product is one of two first-round selections in the 2023 draft alongside defensive end Will Anderson Jr.

Stroud completed seven of 12 passes for 60 yards in the Texans' preseason loss to the Dolphins last week. Ryans said Stroud had improved in regards to operating the offense in the outing.

Houston will host the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 10 in their season opener.

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