Despite recent struggles and trade rumors, Houston doubles down on their star quarterback, ready to make decisive moves to reignite his MVP-caliber play.
The Houston Texans' 2025 season ended in disastrous fashion as the franchise was eliminated in the Divisional round of the postseason. Houston lost to the New England Patriots 28-16, and it was a horrendous performance by quarterback C.J. Stroud. The rough game in which the quarterback turned the ball over four times has been a source of frustration for Houston fans, with some even calling for the franchise to move on from the young signal-caller.
It is not just the postseason performance that was concerning. The quarterback has regressed in each of the last two seasons after having one of the best rookie seasons by a quarterback in NFL history back in 2023. He looked like a star in the making, but he has struggled ever since. Despite the recent struggles leading to trade rumors, General Manager Nick Caserio spoke about his quarterback at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
The franchise is going to stick by Stroud, and any trade is going to have to blow Houston's socks off to get approved. Caserio and the organization will have to make some difficult decisions involving the quarterback, as the franchise must decide on his fifth-year option during the 2026 offseason. This would put Stroud under contract through the 2027 season and give the franchise another season to evaluate him before signing him to a long-term extension.
Houston could decline the option and just sign Stroud to an extension during the 2026 offseason. Any extension would probably put Stroud near the top of the NFL when it comes to annual value for a quarterback, and that would be a bit of a risk with the way he has played recently.
The way the 2025 season ended is going to leave a rough taste in any Texans fan's mouth, but the star quarterback from 2023 is still in there somewhere. It is up to the organization to improve the offensive roster around him in order to help him flourish. The offensive line needs to improve, and the offense needs a better running game to open things up through the air. If both of those things happen, Stroud has a chance to return to the way he played in 2023, when he looked like a future league MVP.
The confidence in Stroud is unwavering, but it will still be interesting to keep an eye on his future in Houston. What the organization decides to do contractually with Stroud during the 2026 offseason will say a lot about how the franchise truly feels about the quarterback, and the situation definitely has the potential to get messy.