The Houston Texans are clearly going all-in with young QB CJ Stroud. With their numerous offseason moves, they've put the rest of the AFC on notice. Their latest move was a blockbuster deal to acquire Stefon Diggs, previously with the Buffalo Bills.
Blockbuster: Bills are finalizing a trade to send four-time Pro-Bowl WR Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans for draft-pick compensation, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/5tIJGkve6t
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 3, 2024
Diggs, 31 late in the 2024 NFL Season, has spent five seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and spent the last four NFL seasons with the Bills, who were in the business of cleaning house this offseason to get their salary cap in a better spot. For Buffalo, they are left with a huge void at wide receiver, as they also lost Gabe Davis in free agency.
For the Texans, this is a team that clearly wants to maximize their window with stud QB CJ Stroud. Besides Diggs, the team traded for RB Joe Mixon, extended one of their own in Dalton Schultz, and signed players like Danielle Hunter, Denico Autry, Azeez Al-Shaair, Jeff Okudah, and CJ Henderson. Houston has not only acquired star players, but they've also made more modest but savvy roster additions.
As of now, what team in the AFC truly has a better starting lineup than the Texans? Houston was missing another play-maker on offense, and they got one with Diggs. Now second-year QB CJ Stroud should be in a strong position to take a huge year two leap, and some MVP conversation should not be out of the question.
Stroud will likely get a contract extension after the 2025 season, which would be after his third year and would be the first year he'd be eligible for the rookie extension. In 2023, Houston went 10-7 in the regular season and earned a trip to the AFC Divisional Round.
A rookie head coach and rookie QB leading the team to a deep playoff run is astounding, so don't be surprised if the Texans go even deeper in 2024.