C.J. Stroud Says 'I Think I've Held My Bargain Up' amid Texans Contract Talks

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud discussed potentially signing a contract extension with the team during OTAs on Thursday.

"I let my agent handle that. If it's time to do it, then it is," Stroud said, per ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime. "My job is football. That's what I'm focused on, just getting better. I think I've held my bargain up. Whatever happens, happens."

The Texans picked up Stroud's fifth-year option in April, meaning that he's under contract for the next two seasons. He's also eligible to sign an extension for the first time in his career, though.

While Texans general manager Nick Caserio didn't confirm that an extension would occur when speaking to reporters at the 2026 NFL scouting combine, he explained that he doesn't expect Stroud to experience a change of scenery anytime soon.

"He's been a good player and won a lot of football games," Caserio said, via Bien-Aime. "Quarterback is the hardest position to play in sports. He had some ups and downs -- that's natural for a position, but overall, he's had a pretty significant impact on what we are as a program. ... He's not going anywhere."

While Stroud earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors for his 2023 campaign and has helped lead Houston to the divisional round of the playoffs in each season that he's spent with the team, he wasn't able to blow past expectations in 2025.

He only appeared in 14 games last year due to a concussion, completing 64.5 percent of his throws for 3,041 yards and 19 touchdowns compared to eight interceptions. Stroud also averaged a career-low 217.2 pass yards per game.

The 24-year-old struggled mightily in the Texans' divisional-round loss to the New England Patriots, as he finished 20-of-47 for 212 yards and one touchdown while getting picked off four times.

Still, Stroud believes that his overall tenure in Houston is enough to warrant an extension.