C.J. Stroud is glad to have Marvin Harrison Jr. back in his huddle, and he made it clear Wednesday that the reunion is about more than familiarity. It’s about trust, timing and a receiver he believes has already been judged too harshly.
The Texans, after acquiring Harrison from the Cardinals, now get to lean on the connection between Stroud and his former college target right away, with Harrison set to debut for his new team Sunday against the Jaguars. Stroud said the bond is real, and so is his excitement.
“Everybody’s been saying how much of a good dude he is, how nice he’s been,” Stroud said, via transcript from the team. “It’s nice to have my guy back, and I’m excited to be rolling with him.”
Stroud said he has long viewed Harrison as a special player. He pointed back to Harrison’s early days and described the receiver as unusually polished from the start.
“[W]hen he came in, he was super ahead of his game, just really mature,” Stroud said. “Him and Emeka [Egbuka] were some of the most mature freshmen that I’ve been around, and then just his work ethic, and it’s the same thing now.”
That maturity, in Stroud’s eyes, shows up most in the way Harrison gets open and helps the quarterback get the ball out on time. Stroud called him a receiver who fits cleanly into a rhythm passing game.
“He gets open on time, I think he’s a very quarterback friendly receiver,” Stroud said. “The better you are with getting the ball at your hands on time, the better he is.
I think that’s why him and I had so much success because I’m a pocket quarterback that likes to throw it to him on time. That’s when he’s at his best.
That’s one of the great things he does.”
Stroud also addressed the public conversation around Harrison’s early results with the Cardinals, saying he doesn’t buy into everything being said about him. In Stroud’s view, the outside noise means far less than what Harrison can control himself.
“I don’t think anybody ever is a finished product,” Stroud said. “You’re always learning ways to get better.
You’re always learning ways to get better at what you’re already good at. I think there are two different types of perspectives you can look from.
You can look from the world’s perspective of who people think you are or yourself. I think that’s where I’ve learned that it doesn’t really matter what people say.
They can’t really stop or start what you have going on. Then you have your perspective of who you think you are, who you believe you can be.
I think that’s more important.
“For Marvin, he knows that. He’s a heck of a player.
I don’t agree with some of the things that are being said about him. At the end of the day, that’s what people who are on the outside are saying.
I’m a firm believer of really focus on what you can control and then whatever other people say or have their opinions, kudos to them. They have platforms and things that they can say on, but that doesn’t really affect you unless you make it.
I think he’ll be fine. I try to just be [a resource] to him if I need to.
He’s a confident dude. He’ll be fine.”
In Other News...
Texans Suddenly Look Healthier Ahead Of A Jaguars Test That Just Got Tougher
The Texans got a noticeable lift in practice this week, with several players who had been sidelined by injuries back on the field in full. Wide receiver Tank Dell, linebacker Henry To'oTo'o and cornerback Ja'Marcus Ingram all returned to full work, giving Houston a healthier look as it prepares for its upcoming meeting with the Jaguars in London.
Offensive tackle Braden Smith was also reinstated and is expected to compete for a starting spot, another sign the roster is trending in the right direction at a useful time. Houston still has work to do before kickoff, but the added depth and flexibility make a tricky trip against Jacksonville look a little less daunting than it did earlier in the week. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Suddenly Face A Tough David Montgomery Decision
The Texans added Marvin Harrison Jr. to lift an offense that has been searching for more punch, but the backfield has become the more immediate question. David Montgomerys season has been slowed by modest rushing production and a groin injury, and the uncertainty around his workload is now part of the bigger conversation in Houston about how to get the offense moving more consistently.
ESPNs Bill Barnwell raised the possibility that the Texans may have to make a difficult change and turn the starting running back job over to Woody Marks. Montgomery could still have a role as a backup, but the idea of a shift at the position is notable for a team that expected its ground game to be a stabilizing piece, not another source of concern. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Just Benefited From A Cardinals Decision That Stung Arizona
The Cardinals decision to lock up Michael Wilson after his breakout season signaled a clear change in how Arizona wanted to build its passing game, and it helped set the stage for a move that immediately altered the Texans outlook. Houston wound up on the receiving end when Arizona sent Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Texans for draft capital, a deal that marked a real shift in the Cardinals offensive structure and gave Houston another intriguing piece to work with.
Wilsons reaction only underscored how much the trade meant inside that building. He said Harrisons departure was difficult and praised his work ethic and character, a reminder that these moves are never just about roster math. For the Texans, though, the bigger takeaway is simple: they benefited from a Cardinals decision that clearly came with some pain in Arizona. [Read more 🡒]