The Houston Texans proved Wednesday that C.J. Stroud is still considered "their guy" at the quarterback position.
Stroud started off his NFL career by winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. The former Ohio State star threw for 4,108 yards with 23 touchdowns and five interceptions. Although he hasn't been bad by any means, he hasn't been able to recapture the magic from his rookie season.
Unfortunately for the Texans, Stroud's struggles were on full display during this year's playoffs. It all fell apart for him in the AFC divisional round against the New England Patriots. He completed just 20-of-47 passes for 212 yards with a touchdown and four interceptions.
Despite Stroud's shortcomings in January, the Texans have expressed confidence in him.
“It’s moronic. We’re not trading the guy,” Texans general manager Nick Caserio previously told reporters. “He’s our quarterback. He’s gonna be playing quarterback for the Houston Texans in 2026. Anything beyond that, that’s your world. You guys can speculate on that. But we’re not trading C.J. Stroud.”
Well, the Texans put their money where their mouth is this Wednesday by exercising the fifth-year option on Stroud's deal. He'll be due $25.904 million in 2027.
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Is this the right move?
Before the Texans picked up Stroud's fifth-year option, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported that a long-term extension for the young quarterback could look something like a four-year, $224 million deal.
“Stroud’s situation is one to watch carefully,” Graziano wrote. “Again, the Texans tend to be generous with their extensions, so we lean toward predicting they’ll find a way to lock him up long term this offseason. But if this season has given them any pause, or if Stroud’s demands come in too high, this could drag out.”
If the Texans aren't willing to commit long-term money to Stroud next summer, they could essentially let him play out his rookie deal. On the flip side, a strong 2026 season would raise his asking price.
At the very least, Stroud's fifth-year option buys the front office time to make this crucial decision.
