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C.J. Stroud is entering a critical fourth season with the Houston Texans facing an uncertain future.

There have not been many Houston Texans players in C.J. Stroud’s situation in recent years, with the team often rewarding its top players with contract extensions as soon as possible. But the Texans have taken a different approach with Stroud.

They picked up his fifth-year option, securing his services through the 2027 season, with up to three years of franchise tags an option in the absence of a long-term resolution.

It is all simpler on paper than in practice, though.

Texans Under Microscope Over C.J. Stroud

All has been quiet on the extension front regarding Stroud and the Texans. That reality continues to draw attention. Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes’ record extension worth north of $63 million annually added to the intrigue around Stroud and the Texans.

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio argued that the Texans have “no reason to rush the process,” noting the Texans would “only be bidding against themselves.”

That is where things get tricky for both sides.

“The Texans repeatedly have proclaimed that he’s their guy. But they have yet to do for him what they’d done for cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and defensive end Will Anderson — sign the first-round pick to a new deal before his fourth season,” Florio wrote on June 14. “The challenge at this point comes from putting a number on his second contract. There’s a broad range when it comes to veteran quarterback pay. Where would Stroud fit?”

Florio added that Stroud would likely be sacrificing value for security if he and the Texans agreed to a deal this offseason coming off what was a turnover-filled performance during the 2025 playoffs.

Similarly, the Texans could lock themselves into a long-term commitment that quickly turns into a bad deal if Stroud is unable to bounce back from a rough end to last postseason.

C.J. Stroud’s Offseason Progress Questioned

In light of comments from the likes of Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, HoustonFootball.com’s Cody Stoots argued that Stroud showed little to no meaningful improvements compared to last season during the offseason program.

“C.J. Stroud hasn’t displayed the fruits of an impressive offseason yet,” Stoots wrote on June 12, citing the praise over the QB’s strides. “That hasn’t shown up in the handful of practices the media has been allowed to observe Stroud. There are good moments and throws, but still too many misses for a quarterback who needs to take the next step.”

Stoots noted that the Texans have not gone full-bore, including little to no running. Stroud has also not had top receiver Nico Collins or former WR2 Tank Dell during team drills.

With Stroud also facing a stout defense, Stoots pegged training camp as a better gauge.

If there is none, the concerns around the Texans and Stroud’s long-term future with the franchise will only continue, if not grow louder as the season nears. The Texans’ schedule projects as the seventh-easiest this coming season, per ESPN in March.

If Stroud shows the same or similar shortcomings as he has over the past two seasons after his stellar rookie campaign, the wheels of change could begin turning for the Texans.