Houston shuts it down before kickoff
C.J. Stroud will play this season without a new deal. Barring a last-minute twist, the Houston Texans will not reopen talks until the offseason, according to several US media reports.
General manager Nick Caserio has already drawn a line in the sand: no negotiations during the regular season. That starts this Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.
ESPN reported overnight that Stroud had tried, through his agent David Mulugheta, to push the issue forward. No luck.
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The contrast with Will Anderson Jr
Stroud was taken second overall in the 2023 draft, one spot ahead of Will Anderson Jr, the pass rusher the Texans extended for three years and $150 million just days before the 2026 draft.
The quarterback is now entering the fourth year of his rookie deal. Houston picked up his fifth-year option in April, tying him to the club through 2027, with $25.9 million guaranteed for next season. So there was no need to rush.
Caserio laid out his stance at the end of training camp. He spoke of productive talks, but made it clear that if nothing was done before the season started, the issue would wait until the offseason.
A 2025 season that matters
Stroud finished with 3,041 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions in the 2025 regular season. He missed three games after a concussion.
His playoffs left a mark. In January, the Patriots, who went on to win the AFC title, picked him off four times in the first half alone in the divisional round. Seven turnovers in two postseason games. That will do little to quiet the debate over where he sits among the league’s top quarterbacks.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans has backed him throughout the offseason. Stroud, who turns 25 in October, has not spoken publicly about the contract situation since 29 July. Back then, he handed the business side over to his agent.
The quarterback market is set to move over the next few months. Lamar Jackson, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye are all heading into talks too. Houston will wait and see where the bar lands.
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