Although the Texans have engaged in productive contract talks with quarterback C.J. Stroud, general manager Nick Caserio said discussions will end until 2027 if an agreement is not in place by Week 1. The belief is that Stroud will indeed play the season without a new contract, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
There are currently a dozen signal-callers earning at least $50MM per season. The Texans are prepared to pay Stroud enough to become the 13th member of that group, according to Fowler. Whatever the Texans are offering has not been enough, but they and Stroud’s camp aren’t “far off” on his value, per Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle.
There is at least a glimmer of hope the two sides will close the gap by the Texans’ Sept. 13 opener, but Alexander hears that neither they nor Stroud are in a hurry to get across the finish line. The fourth-year man is willing to bet on himself in hopes of securing an even richer contract next offseason, which is a high-risk, high-reward choice on his part.
In January, the last time Stroud took the field in a meaningful game, he went 20 of 47 and tossed four interceptions in a 28-16 divisional-round loss to the Patriots. It was the latest in a growing line of disappointing playoff performances for Stroud.
Aside from a scintillating rookie debut in a wild-card round win over the Browns in January 2024, Stroud has mostly struggled in the postseason. He has an equal amount of touchdowns and interceptions (six), a 60.3% completion rate and an 80.6 passer rating in six playoff games. The divisional round has been an insurmountable obstacle for the Stroud-led Texans, who have gone 0-3. They lost a 34-10 blowout to the Ravens in Stroud’s first season and fell 23-14 to the Chiefs two years ago. Kansas City sacked Stroud eight times that afternoon.
To Stroud’s credit, he did help the Texans clinch postseason berths in each of his first three seasons. The team has gone 28-18 in his regular-season starts since it took him second overall in 2023. The former Ohio State star was especially productive in his first season, a year in which the Texans improved from 3-13-1 to 10-7 and won the AFC South.
Over 15 starts, Stroud threw for 4,108 yards on 8.2 per attempt, completed 63.9% of passes, and tossed 23 touchdowns against a mere five picks. Stroud’s 100.8 passer rating was the fifth-best mark in the league, helping him earn Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and his lone Pro Bowl selection.
Most of Stroud’s traditional numbers have dipped since then. As a second-year player, he threw for fewer yards (3,727, on 7.0 per attempt) and TDs (20). He also more than doubled his INT total (12) and recorded a mediocre 87.0 passer rating. Stroud missed three games with a concussion in 2025, though he bounced back to some degree. The 24-year-old finished with a 64.5% completion rate, 7.2 yards per attempt, 19 scores against eight picks, and a 92.9 rating.
Led by their juggernaut defense, the Texans went 3-0 when backup Davis Mills filled in for Stroud last year. The defense should remain among the NFL’s elite this season, giving the Texans legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. They already locked up defensive end Will Anderson Jr. on a $50MM-per-year extension during the spring. Efforts to do the same with Stroud have fallen short, but it seems likely his payday will come next offseason if he rebounds from last winter’s horrid playoff showing. If not, Stroud will still be under control in 2027 via his $25.9MM fifth-year option.
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