C.J. Stroud didn’t waste any time making it clear where he stands on the Texans’ newest pass catcher.
Just days after Kayshon Boutte made his Houston debut, Stroud offered a quick but pointed endorsement of the receiver’s game. “He knows how to get open and play fast,” the Texans quarterback said Wednesday, a strong sign that Boutte is already making a positive impression in the huddle.
Boutte’s first game in a Texans uniform came Sunday in a 36-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The stat line was quiet - one catch on two targets for 21 yards - but Houston clearly sees more coming from the 24-year-old after bringing him in late in August.
That deal sent a 2028 seventh-round draft pick and safety Jaylen Reed to the New England Patriots in exchange for Boutte. The Texans added a receiver who has already shown he can produce in a crowded AFC environment.
Last season in New England, Boutte put up 33 catches on 46 targets for 551 yards and six touchdowns in the regular season. He then stepped up in the postseason, finishing with nine receptions for 186 yards and a touchdown over four playoff games as the Patriots advanced to the Super Bowl before losing to the Seattle Seahawks.
Now Houston will try to turn that résumé into production on its own offense. The Texans are 0-1 heading into Sunday’s Week 2 home game against the Cincinnati Bengals, and Boutte is expected to take on a larger role as his connection with Stroud keeps developing.
In Other News...
Texans Just Sent A Telling Signal About Their Week 2 Offense
With Week 2 against the Bengals looming, the Texans made a small roster swap that says a fair amount about where their priorities are on offense. Houston released quarterback Mark Gronkowski from the practice squad and filled his spot with wide receiver Bryce Oliver, a move that gives the team an extra pass-catcher as it keeps working through the early part of the season.
Gronkowski had been serving as the Texans third quarterback, but the club chose to use that practice-squad spot on receiver depth instead. Oliver arrives with some NFL experience after time with the Titans and Browns practice squads, and he has appeared in 13 league games, giving Houston another option as it sorts out its week-to-week offensive support. [Read more 🡒]
Andre Johnson's C.J. Stroud Criticism Suddenly Looks Much Different
Andre Johnsons comments about C.J. Strouds body language and leadership landed like a pointed reminder from one of the franchises most respected voices, especially for a quarterback still learning how to carry a team through the grind of an NFL season. Stroud responded the way a young starter usually does when a legend speaks up: he acknowledged the critique, said he was working to manage his emotions better, and made it clear he was trying to keep his mindset positive as the Texans navigated the fallout.
What makes the whole exchange more interesting is how Stroud answered on the field in Houstons recent game against the Bills. The performance gave the Texans a different kind of evidence to weigh, since the criticism was aimed less at numbers than at presence, poise and leadership. For a team trying to build around a quarterback who already has the talent, the question now is whether the public message from Johnson becomes a useful push or just another layer of pressure on a player still defining his voice. [Read more 🡒]
Andre Johnson Just Turned Up The Pressure On C.J. Stroud
Andre Johnson is not the kind of voice the Texans can ignore. The Pro Football Hall of Famer and Ring of Honor member has long been one of the franchises most respected figures, which is why his recent comments about C.J. Stroud carry extra weight as Houston heads toward the 2026 season. On a podcast appearance, Johnson pointed to Strouds body language as a concern, arguing that it can ripple through a locker room and influence how a team performs.
It is another layer of scrutiny for Stroud, who is already under the microscope as he tries to reset the tone around the offense. Johnson specifically referenced Strouds struggles in a recent postseason game against the New England Patriots, turning what might have been a routine critique into a broader conversation about leadership and poise. For a Texans team trying to keep moving forward, the question now is whether its young quarterback can quiet the noise and answer a Hall of Fame alums challenge. [Read more 🡒]