Of the Houston Texans’ two major additions on offense this offseason, one is acclimating to his new quarterback, while the other won’t be off the field for long.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday that wide receiver Stefon Diggs is bonding nicely with quarterback CJ Stroud four days into training camp.
“They’ve been really good,” Ryans said. “You see them growing and you see their connection, bond and they’re communicating. Seems like after every snap, those guys are talking pre-snap with alignments and they’re getting on the same page and that takes time. It takes building a relationship outside of being on the football field. It takes building that relationship in the locker room, meeting rooms and that’s what I see from both of those guys. A ton of communication, which allows their relationship to grow even stronger.”
Diggs, 30, forced his way out of Buffalo and was traded to the ascending Texans in April, immediately becoming the most talented receiver on the depth chart of a team that won the AFC South last year.
Named to the last four Pro Bowls while catching passes from Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Diggs is coming off a 1,183-yard season with eight touchdowns. He has hauled in more than 100 receptions in five of his past six seasons, dating to his time with the Minnesota Vikings.
“It’s a work in progress,” Diggs said of his relationship with Stroud. “I’m not going to say everything is perfect, but you see us kind of getting on that same page here and there. And nothing is going to be perfect. I starve for it, we grind for it, but getting on the same page play after play and that communication, that open line of communication, I feel like that’s going to really separate it seeing that we have such a small period of time. But this isn’t my first rodeo and I’m not, by any means, reinventing the (wheel).
“And 7 (Stroud) is special. I think everybody kind of knows that. I must reiterate it, though, because I’ve seen it firsthand and taking it play after play and building, so it’s a work in progress.”
As for the Texans’ other big offseason acquisition, running back Joe Mixon has missed the past few practices for an undisclosed reason.
“Joe will be fine,” Ryans said. “Joe may miss a little time, but he’ll be fine. Joe is (as tough) as the toughest competitor we have, so I’m not worried about Joe. He’ll be fine. No issues there.”
The Texans acquired the one-time Pro Bowler from the Cincinnati Bengals after Mixon, 27, posted his fourth 1,000-yard season of his seven-year career. He had 1,034 rushing yards and nine touchdowns along with 52 receptions for 376 yards and three receiving scores while starting all 17 games in 2023.
The Texans also brought in former Rams and Vikings running back Cam Akers, 25, after giving him a workout Sunday.
“We’ve added Cam and we’ll see if he can compete,” Ryans said.
–Field Level Media
