The Houston Texans franchise quarterback, C.J. Stroud, saw his future with the team come under some scrutiny this offseason after a difficult showing in the divisional round, where he threw for 212 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions. Now, the Texans have made their stance clear.
Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, quickly lived up to expectations by winning Offensive Rookie of the Year and leading Houston to the playoffs. While the Texans have returned to the postseason in both 2024 and 2025, much of that success has been driven by their defense, with Stroud yet to take a significant step forward.
Now entering the fourth year of his rookie contract after a 12–5 season in 2025, Stroud was eligible for an extension this offseason. However, given his recent performances, which at one point even sparked trade rumors, the Texans have opted to wait before committing long-term.
Instead, Houston has exercised the fifth-year option on Stroud’s contract, which will pay him $25.904 million in 2027, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. Stroud originally signed a four-year, $36.3 million fully guaranteed rookie deal in 2023 and is set to carry a cap hit of $11.5 million in 2026.
The Texans also exercised the fifth-year option on All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr., who is now due $21.512 million in 2027. Anderson, selected one pick after Stroud in 2023, earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and followed it up with a dominant 2025 season, recording a career-high 12 sacks and 20 tackles for loss while earning Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro recognition.
Both players are now extension-eligible, with Anderson widely expected to land a lucrative deal. As for Stroud, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 noted that the move “buys time to evaluate how Stroud performs this season,” adding that the team still believes “the arrow is pointing up” for the young quarterback.
DeMeco Ryans Wants Growth from Stroud
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Head coach DeMeco Ryans was clear about the improvements he wants to see from Stroud this season.
"C.J. is a young quarterback," Ryans said, via Wilson. "Being young in his career, he’s gained a ton of valuable experience and a ton of playoff experience, and seeing that it hasn’t gone as we would like it to go there in the playoffs. Of course, you always want to win it all. But when you go through those difficult moments, those tough times, you learn from them. I know C.J. has learned from those moments."
Stroud holds a 3–3 playoff record, completing 60.3% of his passes for 1,438 yards, six touchdowns, and six interceptions. Notably, five of those interceptions came in this year’s loss against the New England Patriots.
While Stroud has not exactly been poor by any means, he has yet to consistently rise to the occasion in the biggest moments. That will need to change if he hopes to secure a big, long-term extension in Houston.
