C.J. Stroud Camp Update — August 23: First Game Snaps, Four of Six
2026 NFL Season · Sunday, Aug 23
C.J. Stroud finally worked against another team twice this week — a joint-practice day with two touchdown throws that his head coach praised, then a first quarter against the Raiders at four of six for twenty-seven yards. He also lost his number-two receiver for the season while it was happening.
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C.J. Stroud played football against another team this week, twice. Tuesday's joint practice with the Raiders was his first work of camp against a defense that wasn't his own, and per Jared Koch at Texans On SI he threw touchdowns to Woody Marks and Dalton Schultz, hit Nico Collins and Jayden Higgins on completions of 10-plus yards, and gave one back late — an interception to Raiders linebacker Quay Walker. DeMeco Ryans afterward: "I thought C.J. did really well today. Some really nice plays, all day." Then Thursday brought his first game snaps of the summer: one quarter against Las Vegas, four of six for 27 yards, per the CBS Sports box score, in a 22 to 20 loss that was otherwise backups against backups — the Raiders sat Kirk Cousins, Maxx Crosby, Ashton Jeanty, and Brock Bowers, and most Houston starters rested after the joint practice satisfied the staff, per Koch.
The protection evidence, the thing June said to track, was mixed and specific. Ryans's own count from the joint practice: "I'd say about 50-50 on the pressures. I liked the way our o-line battled," with Koch charting sacks conceded to Crosby and Tommy Eichenberg. The June read on Stroud was two nearly identical seasons in a row plus an offseason spent removing his excuses — a repeat play-caller, a rebuilt line, a promoted number-two receiver. That last part broke this week: Higgins tore his ACL in the same Tuesday practice, first reported by Ian Rapoport at NFL Network, and is done for the season. Houston signed veterans Zay Jones and Sterling Shepard on Saturday, per the club's transaction report, so the supporting cast Stroud was handed in July is not the one he takes into September.
His own arrow kept pointing up regardless. In Saturday's practice, Cody Stoots at HouFootball dot com charted a perfectly placed strike to Schultz and what he called a beautiful toss to Collins on the sideline.
Next week: a joint practice with the Panthers, then Friday's preseason finale in Carolina — watch whether Stroud plays again and who is running routes for him now, and then rosters cut to 53 on Sunday. We'll check after cut day.
_Data via nflverse._
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