The Houston Texans are coming off a somewhat disappointing season. They won a playoff game for the second straight season, but they were expected to take a jump ahead in the AFC. Instead, the offensive line struggled immensely and both Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell were lost for the year before the postseason.
Even so, C.J. Stroud led them to the divisional round for the second straight year. Even so, CBS Sports NFL analyst Cody Benjamin ranked Stroud as the No. 13 quarterback in the NFL.
"Almost all the magic of his 2023 debut faded behind a bad front and banged-up offense in Year 2," Benjamin writes. "He never hangs his head as a leader, though. We're betting the passing authority will soon return."
In an even more questionable decision, Benjamin put Brock Purdy three spots ahead of Stroud at No. 10.
"Did the injury-propelled woes of San Francisco's 2024 season end up dragging Purdy into mercurial territory? Yes. But he's been superb as Kyle Shanahan's point guard for the majority of his three NFL seasons, and people still don't give him enough credit for the way he extends plays."
While Stroud's 2024 wasn't as magical as his 2023 campaign, a lot of that can be chalked up to a dreadful offensive line. Putting Brock Purdy, who struggled in his own right and led the 49ers to a 6-11 record, feels questionable at best.
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