C.J. Stroud enters the Texans’ season opener with more than just Buffalo on the schedule. He’s also staring at a contract situation that has quietly become one of the bigger storylines around Houston, with no extension in place and plenty of attention on what comes next.
Houston already picked up the fifth-year option tied to Stroud’s deal for 2027, but there’s still been no sign over the summer that a long-term agreement is close. ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reported that Stroud appears ready to keep playing on his rookie contract for now, even if the money market changes in the years ahead.
“From all I've gathered, he's prepared to play out the fourth year of his rookie deal, knowing the QB market will balloon in 2027,” Fowler wrote about Stroud. “Perhaps Houston changes that over the next four days with an aggressive contract pursuit.
Either way, there's a lot on the line for Stroud, whose team is a legitimate Super Bowl contender. But he needs to overcome his struggles from the postseason.”
That postseason slump is a big reason the conversation has gotten louder. Stroud threw five interceptions and lost two fumbles across two playoff games in January, and his postseason record now sits at 3-3 since Houston selected him second overall in the 2023 draft.
Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle added another layer to the contract picture, writing that talks between Stroud and the Texans “could go into the 2027 offseason, which has made this season a critical year for the fourth-year quarterback.”
Alexander also detailed how Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels ended up helping Stroud this offseason. Daniels told Stroud he had been training with MMVP, a training company that works with top athletes, and the group wanted to meet Stroud too.
According to Alexander, the company’s website lists several notable clients, including Daniels, edge-rusher Myles Garrett, Texans edge-rusher Will Anderson Jr., NBA superstar LeBron James, Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim and R&B singer Usher. Stroud then spent three months working out with the group, focusing on cutting out inefficient movement in his running and improving how he used his spine.
He also brought in a private chef as part of a diet change. Stroud said the work made him stronger and gave him more consistency with his routine.
If this season goes the way Stroud wants, Daniels may wind up being one of the people he thanks for it. DraftKings Sportsbook had Houston listed as a 1.5-point home underdog against the Bills as of Thursday morning.
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Commanders Still Have One Painfully Obvious Gap Heading Into Eagles Opener
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Even with that group in place, the position still stands out as the most obvious place for an upgrade if Washington wants more punch offensively. Saquon Barkley looms over that conversation as the kind of back who could instantly change what this offense looks like, which only sharpens the contrast between what the Commanders have now and what they may still be missing. [Read more 🡒]