HOUSTON – Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud remains under the mandatory NFL concussion protocol and will miss Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans.
The Texans officially listed him as doubtful on the injury report.
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Texans coach DeMeco Ryans declined to make it official Friday afternoon that Stroud will miss the game or declare a starter between Davis Mills and Case Keenum. Keenum took the majority of the first-team snaps this week, and Mills worked in behind him with the first-team offense, per sources.
“C.J. is starting to feel a little bit better, but still will be in concussion protocol,” Ryans said. “Still have our hopes that he can feel better. We’ll see how the next couple of days go. He’s still in the concussion protocol. ..He’s just getting back healthy. That’s the main thing, him getting back healthy. He’s starting to watch a little film. He’s getting back healthy and getting back normal.
“That’s the main thing for C.J. For me, the game is the last thing. It’s how healthy is C.J. That’s the only thing that matters. The game, it will take care of itself. We’re concerned about C.J.’s health. We’re not concerned about is he going in this game or not. We’ll see. We don’t know. It’s not about this game. It’s how is C.J. doing. That’s how we approach everything when it comes to the health of our players.”
When asked who will start in place of Stroud, Ryans was noncommittal.
“Both guys have prepared all week, just like every position,” Ryans said. “Everybody has prepared. I told everybody on Wednesday everybody needs to prepare as a starter, and that’s how we approach it. That’s kind of how our season has gone. We need everybody.
“Whenever your number is called, we expected everybody to step up and play their best. We’ll go at this thing as a team. That’s how we’ll approach it. Both guys have done a great job of everything we’ve asked them to do running the show. Both guys have had a great week of practice. Guys have been on it mentally and locked in.”
A frontrunner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year who ranks third in the Pro Bowl balloting among all players, Stroud suffered a concussion last Sunday on a late hit from New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. Stroud hasn’t been cleared to return to practice under the league’s five-step concussion protocol. Until he is medically cleared, he’s ineligible under NFL rules to practice or play in a game.
Stroud is making steady progress and feeling a lot better, per sources, but he hasn’t reached a point in his recovery where he is allowed to practice.
“It’s all about the health of C.J.,” Ryans said. “We’ll never put a guy out there who’s not ready to go, so it’s all about the health of our players. That’s always the first thing.”
Stroud was in visible pain and groggy after his helmet was slammed to the ground Sunday. Stroud was helped off the field by trainers and went to the locker room as he was placed under the NFL concussion protocol.
Stroud is not at the Texans’ training facility much this week to talk a lot with Mills to help him prepare.
“As much as he can right now, he’s still in the protocol so he hasn’t been in the building too much,” Mills said. “C.J. has always been the guy who’s going to be extremely generous and make sure his teammates are in the best spot they can be to go out and execute on gameday.”
Mills and Keenum have been preparing for Stroud’s absence all week.
Several other players haven’t practiced all week and are set to miss this game, per sources, including wide receiver Nico Collins (strained calf), rookie defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (high-ankle sprain, walking boot), linebacker Blake Cashman (hamstring), cornerback Tavierre Thomas (hamstring) and offensive tackle George Fant (hip).
The Texans announced later that Anderson is out as well as Cashman and Thomas. They listed Fant, Collins, guard Shaq Mason (calf) and linebacker Henry To’oTo’o (hamstring) as questionable. Wide receiver Noah Brown (knee contusion) is also listed as questionable.
“I think just, with time comes reps and experience and the amount of opportunity that I’ve had, the experience I’ve been able to build over these last couple of years has made me a better player and I’m looking forward to displaying that,” Mills said Thursday after practice. “Obviously, first-string reps are building reps with the guys who you haven’t really had the opportunity to work with all year. We’re still running our offense. I’ve been able to visualize and see them do things all year long. It’s pretty easy to jump in and get on the same page with those guys and make sure everything is clicking.
“Obviously, it’s a tough matchup. It’s a divisional opponent. It’s a big focus on getting the win regardless because we’re at a really critical point of the season. I think every quarterback in the league, the mindset is if I’m not starting the game I’m going to prepare like I’m starting. Just all-around, I try to make myself a complete quarterback and make plays. What it boils down to is it’s about efficiency and spreading the football around and letting the playmakers make plays.”
The last time that Mills started a game, he engineered a dramatic comeback victory over the Colts as he threw a touchdown pass and two-point conversion pass to tight end Jordan Akins. He completed 22 of 38 passes for 298 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions for an 87.4 passer rating. He is 5-19-1 as a starter with 5,806 passing yards, 33 touchdowns and 25 interceptions for an 83.1 passer rating.
When asked how he has improved since his last NFL start, Mills replied: “Maturity and experience, I’ve been in the league another full year since I last had the opportunity to start, and I’m looking forward to it.”
Stroud got hurt on a late hit from New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams on Sunday where his helmet bounced off the MetLife Stadium artificial turf.
Until Stroud passes a series of mandatory NFL tests, including a baseline neurological exam, he won’t be cleared to play.
Under NFL concussion protocol, to return to play, there are five phases of participation: Phase 1 (symptom limited activity); Phase 2 (aerobic exercise), Phase 3 (football-specific exercise); Phase 4 (club-based non-contact training drills); Phase 5 (full football activity-clearance).
“I don’t think many guys have come back the following week after a concussion,” Ryans said. “You have to make sure, at the end of the day, no matter the position, no matter who the guy is, you have to make sure your guys are healthy and we are protecting guys and they’re right.
“When it comes to the concussion and the head injuries, we have to make sure we’re protecting all of our guys. It’s more about their long-term health, as opposed to everybody gets excited about the next game and the next opportunity. We care about these guys as men off the field and making sure their health is the utmost importance to us.”
Although Collins had been planning to play Sunday, per sources, and is making progress in his recovery, the last time he strained a calf this season, he missed one game.
Cashman and Thomas are out for at least this game and likely for a few weeks with strained hamstrings, per league sources. They didn’t practice all week.
Anderson Jr. didn’t practice all week and is in a walking boot after suffering a high-ankle sprain, per league sources. Anderson could be out for longer than one week.
Texans tight end Dalton Schultz participated fully all week and is set to play Sunday after missing two games with a strained hamstring.
With Fant out, Charlie Heck will replace him at right tackle. Heck began the season on the reserve-physically unable to perform list with a back issue as sciatica went down his leg all the way to his foot.
“It’s been good having Charlie back at practice,” Ryans said. “Charlie has done a good job stepping in for us. Charlie is a smart player, tough player. He’s played a lot of football. Pleased with where Charlie is, it was a tough road for him to start. I’m just encouraged and pleased to have him back healthy. It’s a testament to Charlie and the work he put in. That speaks to him and who he is.”
Wide receivers Robert Woods (rest) and Noah Brown (rest, knee contusion) and offensive guard Shaq Mason (calf) are all participating. Linebacker Henry To’o’To’o (hamstring) was limited along with defensive tackle Maliek Collins (chest).
Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil (knee) participated fully Thursday and is practicing Friday.
A two-time Heisman Trophy finalist from Ohio State drafted second overall, Stroud passed for a season-low 91 yards in the 30-6 loss to the Jets. He had no touchdown passes and no interceptions.
Other quarterbacks have been cleared this season after sustaining a concussion including New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.
A former third-round draft pick from Stanford once ranked the top quarterback recruit in the nation, Mills has passed for 33 touchdowns and 25 interceptions and is 5-19-1 as a starter. He was 1 for 5 against the Jets.
“Davis has done a good job with everything that we’ve asked him to do,” Ryans said. “He’s done a really good job of just leading in his own right, just seeing him on our scout team, just seeing how he helps out, helps us out with the defensive looks. He’s done a really good job of what he’s been asked to do.”
Cashman got hurt in Sunday’s game against the Jets. With Cashman injured, the primary three-linebacker alignment is Denzel Perryman at Mike, Jake Hansen at Sam and Christian Harris at Will.
Collins leads the Texans with a career-high 60 receptions for 1,004 yards and six touchdowns. Without Collins, the Texans’ passing game nosedived against the Jets while being sacked four times and hit six times overall. There wasn’t much separation created by the receiving corps without Collins.
With Collins out, the Texans will go with Brown, Woods, Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie III as their primary wide receivers. They could elevate wide receiver Steven Sims Jr. from the practice squad.
“Our wide receivers have done a great job all year,” Ryans said. “Coach Ben McDaniels has done a great job with that group. They’re on the details of their job and their assignments. Really happy with the receiver corps. We have a lot of guys who have stepped in and stepped up for us. They’ve done that this week as well.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.