The Houston Texans were a laughing stock just two seasons ago, but now that they've hit on a QB, the entire franchise has been changed for the better. Almost all of a team's problems are solved when the franchise quarterback enters the building. For the Houston Texans, that has been the case.
The team was truly awful in 2022, the year before CJ Stroud arrived. They went 3-13-1 with Lovie Smith as their head coach, and it was just a painful year for fans to endure, I am sure. Well, CJ Stroud enters the picture as a 2023 rookie, and everything changed. Sure, there are 52 other players on the roster other than the QB, but there is nothing more valuable in sports than a franchise quarterback.
Now, heading into 2024, the Texans are not only a good team, but they have launched themselves into legitimate Super Bowl contention with their offseaons moves, which have notably included signing Danielle Hunter and trading for Stefon Diggs. Another obvious benefit of hitting on a rookie QB is the contract.
The Texans won't have to deal with the contract kicking it for a few more years, which gives them more cap flexibility. Watching the Texans rebuild like they have should make teams in need of a franchise quarterback way more aggressive. The direction of the franchise can immediately change if teams can get the QB right.
With the 2024 NFL Draft being deeper at quarterback, I would not at all be surprised to see teams like the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, and Las Vegas Raiders do whatever it takes to draft the quarterback they have their eyes on. While scouting QBs is an imperfect thing, all it takes is for one to hit.
And who's to say a team in 2024 can't do the same thing the 2023 Texans did? It's hard to find a franchise quarterback in the NFL, but it's not impossible.