Baker Mayfield Extension Proves Stephen A. Smith Wrong

CJ Stroud is playing for a new contract

After a disastrous playoff run in 2025, the CJ Stroud hype train officially came to a stop this offseason.

Stroud had actually been playing well early last season. He was on track for 4,000 yards passing after the Texans beat the San Francisco 49ers in Week 8 last season. Stroud went for 318 yards, 2 TD and 1 interception that week.

But his season came crashing down the next week in Denver after suffering a concussion that made him miss the next three games as well. Stroud came back on Nov. 30, but he wasn’t the same.

He never cracked 300 yards in a game again that season, but his regular season struggles would pale in comparison to a post season run where he threw 5 interceptions in two games, including four in one half against the Patriots.

The timing couldn’t have been worse for Stroud since he was heading into a contract year. The Texans picked up his fifth-year option in April, which usually for a quarterback means that contract negotiations on a more lucrative will be commencing.

But the Texans and Stroud were never able to reach a deal, with media reports saying the two sides were very far off in negotiations. With Stroud heading into the fourth year of his rookie deal, set to make less than $10 million this season, his next raise is coming under a lot of scrutiny.

What did Stephen A. Smith say?

Last week, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith weighed in on Stroud’s contract when he was asked whether the Texans or Stroud were more pressed to get a deal done.

“We haven’t seen the CJ Stroud we saw as a rookie,” Smith said. “The slightest thing that goes wrong with Houston derails him, at least that has been the case the last two years. I don’t trust him.”

So what is fair compensation for the former Ohio State Buckeye?

“I want him to get some money, but in the same breath, there was a struggle… I’m not encouraging him to take some whack deal. Get some paper, but don’t act like you are entitled to $55-60 million a year. No it aint like that for you in Houston. And if you can get upwards of $45 million or something like that he should take it,” Smith said.

But with Baker Mayfield getting $55 million this week, where does that leave CJ Stroud?

How does CJ Stroud compare to Baker Mayfield?

Baker Mayfield had to fight to get his extension. He called out the Tampa Bay organization, he went public with his frustrations, he said he was done negotiating and was prepared to go into this season with his previous contract, and make the Bucs pay for not signing him, literally.

Stroud’s negotiations have been less acrimonious. He came into camp with a new haircut and has been cognizant of the chatter around him.

While playing three and a half fewer games that Mayfield, Stroud’s numbers stack up well against Mayfield’s.

Obviously, more games help Mayfield’s cumulative stats, but Stroud had more passing yards per attempt, a higher completion percentage, a higher QB rating and the same passing yards per game as Mayfield, and Stroud is considered to have struggled last season.

At 24, Stroud is also six years younger than Mayfield.

Contrary to what Stephen A. Smith says, if Baker is entitled to $55 million a season, surely CJ Stroud isn’t too far off from that. But if the Texans do chose to make him prove it this season instead of signing him to an extension before Sunday’s opener, then $60 million could look like a bargain compared to what they may have to pay in four-to-six months.

Or it could look like the best money they never spent.