The Houston Texans made a bold move this offseason, parting ways with offensive coordinator Bobby Slowick and bringing in Nick Caley. A shift aimed squarely at helping quarterback C.J. Stroud elevate his game in Year 3.
Speaking on Monday for the first time about the change, the reigning 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year expressed excitement over Caley’s approach. Stroud noted that Caley’s system empowers him to take more control at the line of scrimmage, a stark contrast to the structure-heavy system under Slowick.
“Taking control and being more active pre-snap and having tools to put my guys in the best position, that’s something we really didn’t emphasize these last two years,” Stroud said via the team’s official transcript.
“Now I get to put my swag on it, have fun with it. Caley wants me to take full ownership, run the show and that’s exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Stroud added that even though Caley is still getting to know him, there’s already mutual trust building: “He talked today about having blind trust and I already trust him. Just the way he talks and presents himself in the room, it’s been really cool to see.”
Caley comes with a solid pedigree. He started his NFL career with the Patriots in 2015, when Tom Brady was in full command of the offense, and most recently worked under Sean McVay in Los Angeles as the Rams’ pass game coordinator, helping guide Matthew Stafford.
For Stroud, part of the growth process will be adapting to a system that places more responsibility on his shoulders. The previous Shanahan-style scheme under Slowick was more rigid, with built-in solutions that didn’t rely on the quarterback making many pre-snap adjustments.
While that structure works for some, the Texans struggled to consistently find answers in 2024, hindered in part by an underperforming offensive line.
After an electric rookie campaign Stroud hit some bumps in his second season, a natural part of a young quarterback’s development. With Caley now in the building and a system tailored to his strengths, Houston is betting that putting more on Stroud’s plate is exactly what he needs to thrive.
