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C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans reacts after a loss against the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Playoffs.
The Houston Texans may not trade quarterback C.J. Stroud, at least not this offseason, but the speculation around the possibility has taken a surprising turn.
Stroud is under contract through 2026, and the Texans have until May to pick up his fifth-year option, which could delay a long-term decision until 2027. However, Stroud is extension-eligible this offseason, and teams rarely wait to secure the services of their franchise QBs.
At the same time, the discourse around the idea has gone to another level.
C.J. Stroud Trade Speculation Gets Heightened Stakes
GettyC.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans warms up before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
John McClain, formerly of the Houston Chronicle, has been adamant that the Texans will “not trade Stroud and that the speculation that they would is beyond ridiculous. McClain made his point crystal clear with an open-ended wager.
“If CJ Stroud is traded I’ll walk naked down Kirby Drive at rush hour!” McClain posted on X on February 17. “Is anyone else willing to do it if he’s NOT traded? Didn’t think so!”
Chron’s Michael Shapiro labeled the ante a “threat,” as it gained attention.
Shapiro noted that McClain has delivered on similar vows in the past, specifically citing his remarks ahead of the 2014 draft, when the latter offered guarantees that the Texans would select Blake Bortles or Johnny Manziel, depending on the month.
“McClain took his prediction one step too far, however, when he said in early 2014 he would eat the front page of the Houston Chronicle sports section if the Texans didn’t select a quarterback in the first round,” Shapiro wrote on February 18. “The result in early May? Houston selected South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney in the first round, and McClain kept his word.”
McClain joked that those traveling on Kirby should be concerned, and his track record backs that assertion up, too.
C.J. Stroud Got Clear Message From Texans HC DeMeco Ryans
GettyC.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans reacts after losing to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
Shapiro echoed McClain’s sentiment that Stroud and the Texans are unlikely to part ways via trade this offseason, citing comments from Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio from the final week of the season.
“The quarterback position is going to get the most odds, most attention. We understand that. And in this league, that’s what it is, and CJ understands that as well. I thought, just throughout the season, I thought he did a really nice job of coming in, learning new offense, new scheme. Thought he picked it up well. We got better as the season went along, and he made some plays to allow us to win a lot of football games as well,” Ryans told reporters in January.
“I’m not going to let the bad plays there in [against the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Playoffs] … dictate to me who C.J. is. I know who C.J. is. What he’s capable of doing. And so, we just keep looking to get better. No one feels worse about the situation than C.J., right? He feels…like he let the team down.”
Ryans said he told Stroud to keep his head high and focus on working to improve during the coming offseason, which the QB has vowed to do.
Caserio’s message was in a similar vein, with little uncertainty regarding Stroud.
C.J. Stroud’s Future Apparently Remains With Texans
GettyC.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans on the field after defeating the Tennessee Titans.
Caserio also said that he would not let Stroud’s performance against the Patriots dictate their entire view of him heading into a critical window for the Texans and their franchise QB.
“If we want to go game by game, we don’t win the Kansas City game without C.J. Stroud.
So again, that’s one game, all right? Look, he’ll be the first to tell you he didn’t play well [in the Divisional Round], all right? I’m not going to sit here and tell you he played well, either,” Caserio said in January.
“He knows that. So, in the end, all right, got to learn from it. What can we do better? All right, and then we’re moving forward, all right? See, you look at his body of work, this guy’s been a damn good quarterback in this league for three years. It’s the truth.”
Caserio underscored that the Texans will always look at the entire picture for a player in Stroud’s situation, which they treat on a case-by-case basis.
Josh Buckhalter covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He has covered both leagues since 2016, including bylines at FanSided, Last Word on Sports and Clocker Sports. He’s based in Villa Park, Illinois. Follow Josh on Twitter and Instagram: @JoshGBuck More about Josh Buckhalter
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