The Texans have drawn a line in the sand on C.J. Stroud’s next contract.
Houston general manager Nick Caserio said Tuesday that the team wants the quarterback extension settled before the season begins. If it isn’t, the Texans are prepared to put the talks on ice until the offseason.
“We'll either get it figured out before the season starts, and if we don't get it figured out before the season starts, then it'll be something we address in the off-season,” Caserio said on Tuesday, per ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime.
That gives the negotiations a hard stop as Stroud heads into the final stretch of his rookie deal. The two sides have been working on a new contract throughout the summer, but there’s no indication a deal is close. Houston clearly wants to avoid letting the situation hang over the regular season.
Stroud’s importance to the Texans isn’t in doubt. Houston has won 10+ games and reached the playoffs in each of his three seasons steering the offense. At the same time, his numbers have dipped every year since his rookie campaign, and that’s what makes the 2026 season such a critical one for him.
The Texans already exercised Stroud’s fifth-year option, which locks in $25.90 million guaranteed for 2027. That takes some of the immediate pressure off both sides and removes any need to force a deal before Week 1.
So for now, the contract talks are stuck in a holding pattern. If no agreement comes together before the opener, the Texans will wait until the offseason to pick the discussion back up.
Houston starts the regular season at home against the Bills on September 13 at 1PM ET at NRG Stadium in Houston.
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