WATCH: Texans QB C.J. Stroud returns to practice, throwing during minicamp
Houston Texans fans can exhale a sigh of relief following the start of Tuesday's mandatory minicamp at the Methodist Training Center.
Third-year Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud threw passes for the first time in almost a month during the opening of Tuesday's minicamp practice. He connected on several completions to Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins and rookie Jayden Higgins that caught the eye of reporters in practice.
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Here's a look at several throws during the early stages of team drills.
Stroud was kept from throwing during the Texans' OTA practices over the last two weeks because he was dealing with 'general soreness' in his throwing shoulder, according to head coach DeMeco Ryans. Both Ryans and first-year offensive coordinator Nick Caley said that they weren't concerned with Stroud missing reps and he'd be ready to go ahead of training camp.
Stroud is in a pivotal year for the Texans after leading the franchise to back-to-back division titles. With a pair of losses in the divisional round, Houston spent the offeseason trying to revamp the offense and put the franchise quarterback in a better position to succeed.
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While Stroud didn't throw during team drills, the fact that he was throwing at practice in general is a promising sign. Houston could elevate his reps on Wednesday's practice to close out minicamp with the media.
The Texans open the regular season on the road against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 7.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: WATCH: Texans QB C.J. Stroud throws at minicamp during drills

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