Former Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick suggests a storm could be brewing between C.J. Stroud and the organization.
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud's regression and current contract situation have been discussed ad nauseam over the last couple of seasons. After his rookie year in 2023, it looked like he would be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL at some point, but that just has not happened. His play has taken a step back, and 2026 is a crucial offseason as Stroud becomes eligible for an extension.
The Texans will probably pick up Stroud's fifth-year option when the time comes, but an extension is risky. If you look around the league, you will find teams that have regretted extending certain quarterbacks. Daniel Jones with the New York Giants, Tua Tagovailoa with the Miami Dolphins, and even Kyler Murray with the Arizona Cardinals. It happens, and it puts a stain on the franchise for a season or two. Houston must avoid that problem due to the rest of the roster being so talented.
Ryan Fitzpatrick is a co-host on the podcast Fitz & Whit, and he spoke on Stroud and the Texans, "I just think that the people in that building that are around him every day, they're the ones that are going to have to make a decision on this guy. Is this the guy we want leading our building? Who knows what C.J. Stroud does? I mean, if they don't give him the contract, is he going to sit and wait and say, 'Guys, I'm not showing up until you pay me?' Because that's probably the advice that his agent is going to give him."
What Fitzpatrick is describing would be a messy holdout. Most agents advise their clients to hold out and stay off the field until a new contract is signed, but Houston might not be comfortable giving Stroud a lucrative extension after the way he performed in 2025. That could force things to get messy.
A potential holdout plus the way Davis Mills played in relief of Stroud during the 2025 season are reason Fitzpatrick suggested that Houston could even trade Stroud, "Davis Mills steps in, does a great job as a placeholder for C.J. when he was out with a concussion for those weeks? Did it feel like it was a huge drop off when Davis Mills was in? I just think that this is one to keep an eye on because I think it could get ugly this offseason. But if you have hesitations about C.J. being the face of your franchise, this is me not knowing anything. I think there's a chance that maybe you trade him this offseason."
Stroud's trade value is hard to gauge, and a trade doesn't seem to be the likely outcome of this saga, but the thought of it is interesting as this tumultuous offseason in Houston is just beginning.