The Houston Texans are heading into the 2023 NFL Draft armed with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, and many fans and experts are expecting the team to draft a quarterback. Though they may indeed end up doing that, there is also reportedly a “push” for the team to acquire veteran passer Jimmy Garoppolo.
The thinking there seems to be that Garoppolo could help the team become somewhat competitive while the rookie quarterback acclimates to the league.
“Sources tell CBS Sports there’s a push within the building to sign quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and play him in 2023 while drafting a quarterback at some point in the first round with the plan to sit him for the year and grow,” Jonathan Jones reported.
There’s nothing all that surprising about the report. After all, teams often attempt to acquire some kind of veteran presence in the quarterback room when the decision has been made to make a big swing for an elite quarterback prospect at the top of a draft.
As NFL fans know by now, there are a number of quarterback prospects that are considered to have elite potential in this year’s draft. The names at the top of the list include C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson.
Stroud and Levis are more pro-style quarterbacks who like to sit in the pocket and pick apart opposing defenses. Richardson is a prototypical dual-threat quarterback with the size and speed to break defenses and take advantage of miscues.
As for Young, he has elite passing ability, but there is some concern around the league that his small frame will negatively impact his ability to succeed at the professional level.
Given the fact that Garoppolo has been connected to Houston, it seems likely that the quarterback the Texans are locked in on right now is Stroud. He and Garoppolo have somewhat similar playing styles, and Stroud has been rising since the end of the college football season.
The Ohio State University product impressed at the the recent 2023 NFL Scouting Combine and threw some nice passes during his drills.
ICYMI: CJ Stroud’s combine highlights from earlier today. #NFLCombine #NFLCombine2023 https://t.co/nL6RLjmVGQ pic.twitter.com/14LqfFetf8
— VT (@brownchubbybear) March 5, 2023
It’s exciting that the NFL offseason is finally starting to heat up. Only time will tell what the Texans plan to do as they continue their massive roster rebuild.
