Texans Have Tricky C.J. Stroud Contract Dilemma

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is hoping to bounce back from his abysmal playoff performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots, which couldn't have come at a worse time for the former No. 2 overall pick out of Ohio State.

Stroud threw four interceptions in the team's divisional round loss against the Patriots and left a sour taste in the mouth despite winning his third playoff game in as many seasons the week before. The timing was poor because he is due for a contract extension this offseason and might not make as much money as he could have if he didn't play so poorly.

ESPN insider Dan Graziano believes Stroud could still get a new contract extension, but it may come with a bit of a catch.

"Houston is already scheduled to pay Stroud $5.697 million in 2026, and the fifth-year option number for 2027 is $26.53 million. So, the Texans have him for two more years at just over $32 million total (with the potential to franchise-tag him after that). That's a steal as long as he's even a replacement-level starter. They could tear up the final two years of his deal and replace it with, say, a new five-year, $250 million contract that ostensibly averages $50 million per year."

"But from the team's standpoint, that would average only about $43.6 million in new money once we take out that $32 million he's currently owed. That would follow the pattern the Texans set last year with cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., who signed his extension six weeks before the fifth-year option decision deadline and thus never had his option picked up."

"Stroud's situation is one to watch carefully. 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."