With the NFL Scouting Combine upon us, we are finally through the dark period of the NFL news cycle, post-Super Bowl and pre-Combine, where there is nothing else to do but spew baseless speculation and react to the baseless speculation of others. It’s that dynamic that created the C.J. Stroud trade smoke over the last week or so.
With the Combine upon us this week, we knew we would get to hear from head coaches and general managers around the league on any number of topics. This list of interviewees includes Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio, who met with the media in Indianapolis on Tuesday morning. Caserio was given his first chance to address Stroud’s future with the team, and he left no doubt as to where the team stands with their soon to be fourth year signal caller.
In a small media scrum with just Houston media, which took place just prior to the national press conference for Caserio, Caserio called any Stroud trade speculation “moronic” and reinforced that the team is “glad he is [their] quarterback. Caserio went on to further discuss Stroud’s future with the team, when he was asked about it by the national media:
This is about as strong as a general manager can come out in a media setting and tell people that the team is committed to Stroud, at least for 2026. I suppose that now becomes the big question — “So, Nick, you’ve said Stroud is your quarterback, and anybody wanting to trade him would be a moron, so are you going to be giving him a contract extension?”
It’s a fascinating topic because, compared to some recent quarterbacks, who received big contract extensions three years into their careers, Stroud has had a better three year body of work. He’s won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, won two division titles, and one playoff game each season. Stroud’s agent, David Mulugheta, SHOULD be calling Caserio to at least start the discussion of a new deal for Stroud.
The flip side to this is that Stroud was awful in the playoffs this past January, has regressed since that outstanding rookie season, and well, plain and simple, $200 million guanateed is a lot of money, especially when Stroud’s draft classmate, Will Anderson, is in line to become the highest paid non-quarterback in the sport.
It’s all very complicated, and none of it is getting resolved for at least a few more weeks, when the league business year begins on March 11. One thing was made very clear on Tuesday, though — C.J. Stroud WILL be the Texans’ quarterback in 2026. Beyond that, it’s probably up to Stroud and how well he plays this coming season.
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