In an effort to provide better protection for Stroud, the Texans are moving center Juice Scruggs to left guard, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports. Jarrett Patterson will step in as the starting center.
Stroud was sacked a season-high eight times and suffered another 11 hits in last week's loss to the Jets. For the season, the quarterback has absorbed 30 sacks, second most in the NFL. To prevent more chaos from defensive lines after the team placed starting left guard Kenyon Green (shoulder) on injured reserve, the Texans feel Scruggs can better focus on his blocking assignments without having to make line calls on protection adjustments. That duty now falls to Patterson, a 2023 sixth-round pick out of Notre Dame, who is regarded as a cerebral, technique-strong lineman with a keen understanding of pass-rush schemes.