Texans Pick Up C.J. Stroud's Option: What Next?
After a brilliant start to his career, C.J. Stroud has become a very interesting case study. The Houston Texans thought they had the next big thing, but his path has been unorthodox since then. It has left the Texans in a difficult spot, but they just made a big decision about their QB's future.
Texans pick up C.J. Stroud's option
The Houston Texans used two top-three picks in 2023 on C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson. For all Stroud's inconsistencies, those two are still their most important players, so they've ensured they have all five years of a rookie contract to work with.
This is not that surprising, although Anderson has been so good that it's a little shocking he isn't just signing an extension outright. This saves them money, but it does bring about the risks of putting off a deal until later.
Anderson could continue to get better. With Stroud, the investment is so important that they have to get it right. Anderson doesn't have the same question marks, and he's already one of the best edge rushers in the NFL. This doesn't preclude an extension, but it's unclear if that's the goal at this time.
How we got here
C.J. Stroud has had an interesting career trajectory so far. After his historic rookie season, the expectation was that he'd be extended as soon as possible, which would've been this offseason. It was also expected that he might reset the market or at least join the $55+ million QBs, like Dak Prescott, Joe Burrow, and Jordan Love.
Nothing has gone to plan since then. Stroud has regressed. He's also dealt with injuries to his pass-catchers and abysmal blocking. He has become a shell of himself. The pressure he deals with and the hits he takes have left a mark. He's no longer the next big thing. Stroud is bordering on a "what if."
That culminated in one of the worst playoff runs of all time. The Texans had a historic defense capable of winning a Super Bowl, and the general consensus is that Stroud's play held them back from that. They won one game in spite of him, but he had two touchdown passes and five interceptions.
He had an RTG of 28.0 in the final game. Stroud also took six sacks and fumbled five times (losing two of them). It was a horrid run at the worst time, prompting questions about his future. Now, the inevitable extension is no longer inevitable and has turned into the fifth-year option.
What's next?
The next step for the Texans is finding out if Stroud is worth a major investment. Ask the Miami Dolphins what it's like to invest boatloads of money in a quarterback who can't elevate the team around him. When they cost that much, it's hard to find good talent to put around them, so it's a huge risk.
It is unclear if the Texans are considering moving on from Stroud. His rookie season suggests that he's capable of high-level play. The better question is not whether or not the Texans should move on, but how much they should pay to keep him.
Starting over at quarterback would waste this excellent defense and coaching staff, so that's not ideal. Neither is paying $50 million to keep a quarterback not remotely worth that. This season, which is now no longer a contract year, is about determining the price tag. Does he land near the $35 million that a Sam Darnold-level QB earns or the $50 million that Lamar Jackson and others have topped?
That's the question plaguing the Texans now, and the fifth-year option punts the decision one more year.
