Cj Stroud extension talks still had not started in late April

cj stroud had not entered serious extension talks with the Texans as of late April. That left Houston with a franchise quarterback eligible for a deal, but no meaningful movement on the contract that could shape the rest of the roster. Stroud already has the kind of production that usually forces a quick decision.

Houston Holds The Line

The Texans selected Stroud second overall in 2023, then watched him throw for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions as a rookie. He finished ninth in MVP voting, won Offensive Rookie of the Year and made the Pro Bowl.

Those numbers explain why the contract conversation is already at the center of Houston’s offseason. Stroud’s first three seasons have produced 28 regular-season wins, a 54.9 QBR, 10,876 passing yards, 62 touchdown passes and 25 interceptions, plus three playoff wins, 1,438 passing yards and six touchdown passes.

League Voices On Stroud

Some executives around the league think the Texans should move quickly. One AFC executive said, "I think he's plenty talented. I just think just running a more efficient offense would justify the payday" and added, "I think everyone [I talk to] feels like you gotta pay him. Low bar for the position."

Another AFC executive said, "It also could save you money if you extend him [now], because the market always goes up." An NFC executive pushed the idea further, saying, "Offer him something like top 8-12 [QB] money."

That same NFC executive said, "I'd try to give him a three-year extension at like $42-45 million per year now." If Houston does not move, he added, the team could "plan to franchise him out like [Dallas Cowboys QB] Dak Prescott in 2020."

Texans Already Paid Up

The Texans have already shown they are willing to spend on the core around Stroud. They traded up to No. 3 in 2023 to land Will Anderson Jr., and Anderson later agreed to a three-year, $150 million deal that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

That leaves Stroud as the next major decision. Jalen Hurts holds the eighth-highest annual quarterback salary at $51 million, while Patrick Mahomes sits 12th at $45 million, a range that frames how quickly Houston can go from waiting to paying for its quarterback.