Got a question about the Texans?
Life in general?
Drew Dougherty's your guy.
He's been with the Texans since 2009 and is chock full of meaningful, as well as generally useless, information. Fire away by clicking HERE.
Mando Gutierrez: Dear Drew, With this new season coming up, will C.J. Stroud run out of the pocket more for first down yardage?
DD: Maybe, maybe not. If he does run more, I'm not sure it'll be by a whole lot. Last season, Stroud carried 39 times for 167 yards and three touchdowns. His longest run went for 16 yards, and 17 of his carries resulted in a first down.
But some of those 17 were quarterback sneaks, and probably not the type of run about which you're asking.
Stroud certainly is capable of scrambling and getting some yards. But as we saw last season, he's also lethal with his arm, and was among the NFL's best when it came to the deep ball.
I'm not sure you want to chop into that productivity to get him more carries, but I wouldn't be surprised if offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik popped in a designed run here and there throughout the season to give opposing defenses something more to think about and prepare for in the future.
Geno Hendrickson: Dear Drew, Go H-Town!!!! How many First-round picks are currently on the Texans roster?
DD: Nine.
Five of them were drafted by Houston: offensive lineman Tytus Howard, cornerback Derek Stingley, Jr., offensive lineman Kenyon Green, Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson, Jr.
Four of them were drafted by other teams. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil, defensive end Derek Barnett, and cornerbacks Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson were not originally Texans.
Rick Marsh: Dear Drew, Who is starting at left guard?
DD: There will be a healthy competition there between a handful of players. 2022 first-rounder Kenyon Green is healthy again and in the mix. Jarrett Patterson, who started the first seven games of the 2023 campaign at center, will be a factor. Kendrick Green got starting experience there as well, last season. Although he'll likely start at center this fall, Juice Scruggs closed out the 2023 campaign and the playoffs by starting at left guard from the end of November onward.
Jeff Jack: What up Drewwwskie!! When are we going to be able to play overseas again?
DD: Possibly as soon as the 2025 regular season. There was a good chance the Texans were to play overseas in 2024, but they won't. It's been since 2019 that they've played internationally, so Houston is due, soon.
Caleb Potter: Dear Drew, How often will the team rotate through the new uniform packages this season?
DD: They'll wear the Liberty White jerseys and pants in the home opener against the Bears. A few weeks later, they'll don the City Inspired uniforms, which feature the H-Town Blue accent color, on October 6 against the Bills. The Battle Red uniforms debut on November 10 versus the Lions. Otherwise, the new home uniform will be worn the other times they play at NRG Stadium, although there's a possibility they can wear the H-Town Blue or Battle Red uniforms one other time in the regular season.
An explanation on the rules of when/how a team can wear the uniform can be found by clicking HERE.
*EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this story mistakenly said that the Texans could possibly wear an alternate uniform in a home playoff game. That is incorrect.
