Jacoby Jones remembers first being sold on C.J. Stroud as he carved up Big Ten defenses during his two seasons at Ohio State.
Any receiver who spent over a decade in the league knows which quarterbacks will end up meeting expectations. Jones, a former third-round pick for the Houston Texans in 2007, knew it almost immediately in Stroud.
“He was a freak of nature,” Jones told Texans Wire. “Wicked smart player. He’s witty. When I say witty, I’m talking about the part of the definition where you’re not just smart, but you’re quick.
“He doesn’t play like a young kid. He plays like a mature vet that’s been there already.”
Jones, who spent five seasons in Houston as a go-to target for Matt Schaub in the Gary Kubiak era, knows the Texans can have a milestone season in 2024. Most national pundits think Houston is in for a promising campaign after the team acquired players like Joe Mixon, Danielle Hunter and Stefon Diggs this offseason.
Praise hits differently coming from a player who took reps on the field alongside Hall of Famer Andre Johnson.
From a player who went through the growing pains of a fairly young franchise. From a player who went through postseason heartbreak similar to what befell the 2023 squad against Baltimore in the divisional round.
Jones sees a path for Houston past Round 2. It starts with Nico Collins and carries over to Tank Dell and Diggs in the passing game.
“When you have receivers where you can’t double-cover anybody, just like we had when I was with the Texans … that’s the dynamic of the game,” Jones said. “No matter where that ball goes, something is going to happen.”
Stroud believes offensive production can catapult to new levels with “five No. 1 receivers.” Maybe it’s far-fetched to say Houston has five, but three on any given Sunday could be a legitimate reality for opposing defenses to worry about.
Everyone has a defined role. Collins, who just inked a three-year extension, wins with size across the middle and in the red zone. Dell, who was on pace for over 1,200 yards before suffering a season-ending leg injury in December, has the vertical speed to win both on the boundary and in the slot.
And Diggs, who since 2020 leads all NFL receivers in receptions (445), has been considered one of the league’s better route-runners, especially when targeting the middle of the field.
Jones, who won a Super Bowl with Baltimore a dozen years ago while splitting targets with Anquan Boldin, Torrey Smith, Dennis Pitta and Ray Rice, remembers having a similar assignment in Houston when the franchise clinched its first playoff berth.
“You had Andre on one side, Kevin Walter on the other or in the slot. I’d get in the slot sometimes, and we had Owen Daniels,” Jones said. “Plus, we had Arian Foster out [of the] backfield. That’s when we hit the playoffs.
“When you got that around you, people can’t be one-dimensional. They can’t just say, ‘We’re going to lock this side down. ‘ You can’t do it. That’s when you get to be great.”
Jones can see a blueprint for this year’s team that resembles the 2011 playoff roster. That squad made history with the franchise’s first playoff win.
With the five-WR tandem around Stroud, perhaps Houston will make postseason history again, only this time reaching Jones’ home in New Orleans for the Super Bowl.
