Houston Texans Roster Not Built Around C.J. Stroud, Exec Claims

Houston Texans assistant general manager Chris Blanco made it clear that the franchise isn't building its championship aspirations around quarterback C.J. Stroud alone. Blanco stated that the Texans instead emphasize a comprehensive roster construction philosophy focused on "the best blend of 53, 90 people on our roster," rather than "one specific position" or "one player"—even when the player is a franchise QB playing on a rookie deal.

Speaking on Tuesday's episode of Ari Meirov's NFL Spotlight podcast, Blanco pushed back on Meirov's question regarding Houston's advantageous position of "roster building [while] having a quarterback who's really good but also on his rookie contract." When Meirov asked about the Texans' "strategy" and "philosophy as a front office," Blanco was quick to shut down the premise of the question.

Blanco replied that the "best thing about [general manager] Nick [Caserio] and [head coach] DeMeco [Ryans], when they build a roster, it's never solely focused on one player, be it a quarterback" or otherwise. Blanco continued, stating Houston's focus was "bringing in highly competitive football players who are physically, mentally tough" with "a level of aggression in the way they play," while also being positive influences in the locker room.

Blanco's quick retort was notable, as such an approach would represent a departure from the general understanding that NFL teams should focus on maximizing the value of a quarterback's rookie contract by adding talent to otherwise deficient areas of the roster.

Or perhaps the newly promoted assistant general manager—admittedly fresh off a return flight from an overseas family vacation—was simply ensuring his public statements aligned with the front office's strict roster philosophy.