Debate has arisen over whether or not the Houston Texans are being smart to choosing not to extend quarterback C.J. Stroud this offseason. KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson and CBS’s Jonathan Jones are both credited with reporting the decision by the team, stating that the priority will be to only pick up his fifth-year option while prioritizing a ‘blockbuster’ deal for star defensive end Will Anderson Jr.
As such, the fourth-year signal caller will have to wait for at least another offseason for a big payday, while fans and local media mull over the implications for the team for both the short and long-term.
In truth, there’s a case to be made for both sides of the argument, as Houston has to consider a litany of factors before coming to what could be considered a feasible conclusion. After Stroud’s historic first season, this seemed like a slam dunk proposition. After the last two seasons however, Stroud and perceived regression as a playmaker have put a damper on his future outlook.
Texans have a case for both scenarios with C.J. Stroud contract dilemma
To preface, team leadership has repeatedly expressed public support for the former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. From the NFL’s Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Texans head coach and newly-minted Competition Committee Member DeMeco Ryans repeated the sentiment to Wilson when the topic of Stroud came up in an interview.
“For me, to CJ, I let him know that again. Just reaffirm that support for him. And also, I see a guy who's dialed into the offseason. He's in full grind right now. So, I'm excited to see what comes from the work that he's putting in. It's only going to be better. The mindset is right. Physically, he's in a really good space, mentally in a really good space. So I'm excited to see him get back to work.”
With that said, there still remains the non-sentimental side of the transaction, where general manager Nick Caserio and the front office have to weigh each side of the decision.
The case for Texans to extend Stroud right now
In spite of what is inarguably the lowest point of Stroud’s young career at this moment, the former Ohio State Buckeye has more than shown flashes of elite capability as the starting quarterback of the team in the past. Of course, this is evidenced by his 4,108-yard, 23-touchdown rookie season that ended with a 10-7 record, an AFC South title, a 29-point blowout of the Cleveland Browns in the playoffs and the aforementioned NFL Rookie of the Year accomplishment. It still stands as one of the greatest rookie campaigns in the NFL’s 105-year existence. After that, Stroud has been asked to recreate that production in less-than-ideal circumstances.
Frequent team instability has hindered Stroud for the last two seasons
Since 2023, Stroud has been expected to perform in spite of:
- Two rookie offensive coordinators (Bobby Slowik, 2023-2024/ Nick Caley, 2025)
- Chronic injury concerns with top offensive playmakers (WR Nico Collins, RB Joe Mixon, WR Tank Dell, WR Stefon Diggs, etc.)
- Non-existent rushing attack (ranked near the bottom of the league in rushing scores in 2025, also contributed to being bottom-five in red zone offense)
- Horrendous offensive line play (54 sacks in 2024)
Even with these roadblocks, Stroud has been instrumental in their 28-18 record with him as a starter (including the playoffs), and their three consecutive playoff berths that includes back-to-back AFC South titles by age 24. In short, when Stroud plays, they win ballgames.
Additionally, a contract at this time could potentially ensure a lower-than-expected cap hit, as his recent playoff miscues and regular season troubles have contributed to him being projected to only make around $51.6 million annually (per Spotrac). That would place him between fellow quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson as the 11th-highest-paid at the position.
The case to make Stroud wait on an extension
Citing the aforementioned less-than-ideal circumstances of the team, every prominent quarterback in the NFL is tasked with having to execute at a high level even without a perfect supporting cast at times. At that point, the field general is then tasked with being a proficient mitigator of disaster. Meaning, they have a responsibility to not add to the chaos with their own poor performances or mistakes. Unfortunately for Stroud, he has not shown the greatest ability to adapt to difficult situations when faced with them on a consistent basis.
For example: In 2024, Stroud elevated his interception total to 12, which was more than double his amount of five in 2023. The turnover problems continued in 2025’s AFC playoff run, where he was responsible for seven turnovers in only two games (five interceptions, two lost fumbles). These most recent troubles are looked at as the primary reason for why the Texans didn’t advance to the AFC Championship game and eventually the Super Bowl. Both would’ve been firsts in club history.
Then, Stroud's on-field demeanor has been questioned several times this offseason, with there being multiple examples of him looking aloof and emotionally despondent on the sidelines when he could’ve been helping rally troops in times of in-game difficulty.
Finally, there’s a very troubling financial pattern that’s developed in the league over the last few years that’s involved playing top-dollar to young quarterbacks to then watch them crumble as soon as the ink is dry on their new deals.
Recent quarterback contracts should give Texans pause with Stroud
Players like Tua Tagovailoa, Trevor Lawrence, Daniel Jones, Dak Prescott and Deshaun Watson are all examples of recent ‘up and coming’ signal callers who teams have invested in at a premium level, only to then see the implosion of the team’s plans in short order. Or, a player doesn’t raise the team’s ceiling as much as hoped for, thus the team gets trapped in a yearly cycle of mediocrity and disappointment.
The Texans seemingly don’t want to be added to the list of teams who’ve taken the plunge on a young passer too quickly, thus the delay in spending.
Regardless, the Texans and Stroud are tied together for at least the next two seasons. If Stroud regains any level of his effectiveness in 2026, the Texans seem more than content with paying the extra money it would take to secure their franchise quarterback long-term. If his regression continues, then there’s going to be a more troubling conversation that will need to be had about his viability in Houston moving forward.