HOUSTON – Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud returned to practice Tuesday as remains under the restrictions of the NFL concussion protocol.

Although he is regarded as extremely unlikely to play Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills and Stroud went third in throws after Davis Mills and Graham Mertz at practice, this is a positive step toward him returning to play next week against the Indianapolis Colts.

Mills is preparing to start again after going 2-0 as a starter the past two weeks during Stroud’s absence.

Stroud didn’t participate in a walkthrough Monday, but nickel Jalen Pitre returned to practice and remains under the NFL concussion protocol. He is tracking toward return, if he has no recurrence of symptoms in the next two days, and practiced Tuesday.

Although Stroud is feeling be

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