Texans pick up 2027 fifth-year option on C.J. Stroud following 4-interception playoff loss to Patriots
· Yahoo Sports
The Houston Texans are riding with C.J. Stroud for at least two more seasons. Despite his four-interception game against the New England Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs, Stroud reportedly had his 2027 fifth-year option picked up by the team Wednesday, per multiple reports.
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Stroud isn’t the only member of the Texans’ 2023 draft class to have his option picked up. All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson will also reportedly stick around through the 2027 season.
Anderson’s fifth-year option being picked up shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the former No. 3 overall pick has emerged as one of the best young defensive players in the league. In his three seasons in the NFL, Anderson won the Rookie of the Year award, made two Pro Bowls and received one All-Pro selection. After Anderson finished second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting just a few months ago, there was no way the Texans were going to decline another year of his production.
The team, in fact, is reportedly looking to make Anderson’s time in Houston last even longer, as the Texans are expected to try and work out a massive extension with Anderson in the offseason. That deal will likely make him the highest-paid defensive player in the league, per KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson.
C.J. Stroud has something to prove in 2026
Picking up Stroud’s fifth-year option was far from a guarantee. While Stroud looked like a true, franchise player as a rookie, his numbers have regressed over his second and third seasons in the NFL.
After being limited to just 14 games due to a concussion in 2025, Stroud finished the regular season with a career-worst 19 passing touchdowns. He also threw for his lowest passing yardage total, finishing the year with 3,041 yards.
But his most-concerning struggles came in the playoffs. Stroud wasn’t asked to do much in a blowout win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round, but was exposed by the Patriots in the divisional round.
Stroud threw four interceptions against the Patriots during the contest — a 28-16 Texans loss — all of which came in the first half. While Stroud settled down in the second half, it was already too late. He led the team to two field goals in the third quarter, but couldn’t close the gap enough to complete a Texans comeback. Stroud finished the contest 20 of 47, with 212 passing yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. He was also sacked three times.
Following that performance, there will be plenty of pressure on Stroud to succeed in 2026, especially considering his salary will increase greatly in 2027. Stroud is set to make a little over $1 million in 2026, but that figure will jump to roughly $26 million in 2027 thanks to his fifth-year option.
If Stroud can’t show improvement in 2026, the Texans will almost certainly start searching for a replacement. That could relegate Stroud to being an expensive backup in 2027, a surprising outcome for a player who looked like a future superstar after his first season.