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C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans prays with the team after a game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Houston Texans will have to ask themselves a difficult question about C.J. Stroud this coming offseason, and it is not entirely based on finances. Stroud, the Texans’ starting quarterback, will be extension-eligible once the league year officially tolls on March 11.
Opinions regarding Stroud have been quite polarized, with his historic rookie season setting a high bar that the former second-overall pick has yet to clear again.
The problem for Stroud is that his play and production paint a very telling picture.
Ex-Texans Defender Raises Red Flag About C.J. Stroud
GettyC.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans leaves the field after losing to the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Playoffs.
Stroud completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions during the 2025 regular season. He followed that with a 462-2-5 line and a 51.9% completion mark in the postseason.
And yet, Stroud’s usage of his legs, not his arm, is what “terrifies” former Texans defensive tackle Seth Payne, who is now a host on SportsRadio 610 in Houston.
“C.J., as a passer, after his concussion, was still operating–he was doing some good things as a passer. Ane he had some moments, even in games where he didn’t look great for the first three quarters statistically, the biggest thing that you want to see–or at least you can point to–is, man, the clutch moments he had in fourth quarters to win games at times,” Payne told co-host Sean Pendergast on “Payne & Pendergast” on February 20.
“You can’t take that away from where C.J.’s ceiling is. He has the ability to really make some great plays in clutch moments. The fact that he just ran … so minimally after his concussion, and then, the fact that in both the Steelers game and the Patriots game, he just did not look comfortable when pressured in the pocket, and some of the pressing, some of the turnovers that he made in both those games were, like Ross Tucker said yesterday, every turnover tells its own story.”
Payne said that if Stroud’s lack of running is “related at all to the concussion, that’s what makes me nervous.”
Stroud suffered his second career concussion in 2025, missing three games.
“He had the first one, he came back from it, turned into a guy that ran more liberally the next season. But now, this is his second concussion. It seems to have gotten into his head; pardon the pun. And is that something that has lingering effects next September?”
Stroud notably logged the second-most rushing attempts and yards of his career during the 2025 regular season, setting a career-high in attempts per game.
Stroud averaged 3.6 rushing attempts per game before his concussion in 2025.
He averaged 3.2 attempts on the ground after returning from the concussion, and then 1.5 carries during the postseason. Stroud has never been a running QB, despite his mobility. He has averaged fewer APG in wins (2.9) than losses (3.1) with the Texans.
C.J. Stroud Enters Offseason on ‘Hot Seat’
GettyC.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans warms up before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
There is a growing school of thought that the Texans could, and some would argue should, pick up Stroud’s fifth-year option. However, that also comes with risks, such as amplifying the scrutiny for Stroud.
It has already been enough to spark trade speculation. That is despite neither side indicating they are particularly close to, or even open to exploring, such a scenario.
That is the reality of the situation for both sides, though.
“Over the last two seasons, Stroud’s completion percentage is worse than Kirk Cousins over that stretch, his yards per attempt are below Geno Smith’s, and his passer rating is below Kyler Murray’s,” CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan wrote on February 20. “This is hardly the trajectory a team wants to see when considering making him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league on a contract that’ll likely pay him somewhere in the range of $55 million per season.”
Sullivan noted that the Texans’ opting for more time instead of making a long-term decision will put Stroud “further under the microscope.” Teams rarely, if ever, let the situation reach even this point without strong indications of intent.
Texans Teammate Stands on C.J. Stroud Take
GettyC.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans looks on before the game against the Buffalo Bills.
Texans tight end Dalton Schultz, who joined the team in Stroud’s rookie season, placed blame for the offense’s dysfunction on himself. He exited the AFC Divisional Playoffs with a calf injury. He has repeatedly defended Stroud during what has been a pre-offseason media tour.
That continued that trend during the “Ross Tucker Football Podcast” on February 18.
Schultz also defended Stroud from ex-NFL QB Troy Aikman. Aikman said the Texans star has not been the same since his rookie season.
Schultz told Tucker that he did not believe that was “valid.” He added that Stroud is not “trigger-shy” or anything of the sort and that he has grown as a player and person. Schultz’s tone has been consistent and echoes that of his Texans teammates.
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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