The Houston Texans are in a bit of a strange spot entering the 2026 campaign. While they have made it to the divisional round in each of the past three seasons, they have struggled to find a way to take a step forward and go on a deeper playoff run. After last year’s brutal loss to the New England Patriots, all eyes have been on quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Against the Pats, Stroud was awful, as his four turnovers played a large role in the team’s defeat. That has led to questions about Stroud’s future with the team, especially since he is now eligible for a contract extension. To this point, Stroud has not gotten a new deal, but according to general manager Nick Caserio, that could change very soon.
Nick Caserio Hints at C.J. Stroud Contract Extension
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Stroud was a revelation for the Texans in his first year under center. In 15 games, Stroud completed 319 of his 499 pass attempts for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns, which helped him win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and earn a Pro Bowl selection.
Rather than continuing to improve, though, Stroud has actually regressed over the past two seasons. He’s benefited from a great defense playing on the other side of the ball, but Houston’s offense went from being one of the top up-and-coming units to being almost totally reliant on big plays from Nico Collins.
That isn’t solely Stroud’s fault, as the Texans’ offensive line has been a mess, and they had virtually no rushing attack to speak of last year, but considering how well he played as a rookie, his decline in play has been quite worrisome. Folks across the league have openly wondered whether Houston could pass on extending Stroud and look to move on from him, but Caserio shot down those rumors now that the team’s training camp action is underway.
“Texans GM Nick Caserio says they’ve had productive conversations with CJ Stroud about a contract extension and there’s a possibility they can get a deal done,” Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team shared in a post on X. “Caserio also said this has been the best offseason Stroud has had in his NFL career.”
Should the Texans Hand C.J. Stroud a Contract Extension?
GettyC.J. Stroud is under the microscope as training camp begins for the Houston Texans.
Typically speaking, when a quarterback leads a team to the playoffs in each of his first three pro seasons, that’s going to earn him a contract extension. But Stroud is different. Simply put, he was not a good quarterback last season (273/423, 3,041 YDS, 19 TD, 8 INT), and you can make a case that the offense actually operated at a higher level during Davis Mills’ three starts under center.
And yet, you can’t argue with the fact that Stroud wins games, no matter how good or bad he plays. He won’t get the sort of earth-shattering deal he was on track for in 2023, but he still has the potential to be one of the better quarterbacks in the league. Houston doesn’t necessarily appear to be in a rush to hand Stroud a new deal, but if the two sides can find common ground in their negotiations, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see something get finalized before Week 1.
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