Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud saw his dazzling rookie season come to a halt due to his nagging concussion. But with the Texans firmly in the playoff hunt, Stroud is looking to ensure he doesn't miss much more time.

Stroud was already ruled out for Week 16 with his concussion. However, he is making strides and there is optimism he could make his return in Week 17 against the Tennessee Titans, via Adam Schefter of ESPN. Head coach DeMeco Ryans confirmed this sentiment ahead of the Texans massive Week 16 battle against the Cleveland Browns.

Via Stacey Dales:

“As Texans HC DeMeco Ryans told me this morning, rookie QB CJ Stroud is ‘definitely making progress' working through the concussion protocol. Ryans: ‘We were able to get him in meetings on Friday and get him out on the field.' Very encouraging.”

The quarterback originally suffered his concussion against the New York Jets in Week 14. He was replaced by Case Keenum in Week 15 with Week 16 now officially hosting the backup QB under center. Keenum impressed in Week 15, leading the Texans to a 19-16 overtime win over the Texans.

But for as clutch as Keenum was, the Texans know their offense is now built around Stroud. Over his first 13 games at the NFL level, Stroud has completed 62.4 percent of his passes for 3,631 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions. He ranks eighth in the league in passing yards and 11th in passing touchdowns. After drafting him with the No. 2 overall pick, the Texans have found their quarterback of the present and future.

Stroud's strong play has led Houston to an 8-6 record. As they close out their regular season, the Texans will be looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

Unfortunately for the Texans, CJ Stroud won't be in the pocket as they look to take down the Browns. But for their crucial Week 17 matchup against the Titans, Houston is cautiously optimistic that Stroud will be back.