What do you consider a low guarantee paid portion? I can't even stomach the thought of guaranteeing him anything over 30 million right now.
We can exercise CJ's 5th year for 2027 but wait to see how 26' goes before committing longterm. That way we can move on from him after 27' if he's terrible in 26'. Or, I guess we can choose now to void his 27' option and then CJ will be a free agent after next season, right?
Then the Texans are REALLY dumb. The 5th year option is around $25 million. Just say if after next season you want to sign him, it is going to cost you ALOT more to Franchise tag him one year. Instead of $25 million, it will cost you $45-$50 million...atleast.
Every season that CJ Stroud starts for this team is another season that they go nowhere in the playoffs.
You know what gets you in purgatory? Giving up on a QB too soon. Ask the Browns, Jets, and Vikings to start. Vikings decided after 1 bad playoff game not to re-sign Darnold and roll with JJ McCarthy...coming off an ACL and missing his rookie year. Darnold signs with Seattle and goes to the Super Bowl. And the Vikings? They just fired their GM and the Owner referenced Sam Darnold as the reason to do it now. Caserio hasn't done EVERYTHING he could to help CJ and has cheaped out with the OLINE. It may have been improved by the end of the season...but I wouldn't call it average. The RB back situation: He traded on the cheap for Mixon, who has a history of injury. He balled out in 2024, then had a mysterious injury that made him miss the Entire season. Texans had no backup plan. Woody Marks was drafted to be a 3rd down back, not your primary. TE situation: Schultz and then Stover/Jordan, both of whom had injury issues almost every year in the league. No backup plan to address the TE depth. WR: Collins and drafted 2 rookies - good. Cheaping out on a veteran WR with Kirk (injury history) and Barrios (who has never been a consistent receiver) is borderline criminal. With no Tank Dell, the Texans had no reliable 3rd receiving option with experience. Hutch started to play well at the end, but he is not going to scare anyone. I assure you, Hannah is telling Nick to fix the O-line.
When everyone is responsible, no one is responsible. After a miserable turnover performance in Pittsburgh, everyone saw with their own eyes what a disaster of a QB Stroud was the following week in NE when it mattered most.
So maybe the best option is to decline his fifth year and then CJ can go elsewhere after next season or, if he does well, we can attempt negotiate a multi-year deal or start over with another QB. Do you agree with this course of action?
and yet, if Marks doesn't fumble...and they get a TD on that drive...it is a 2 point game with a 2 point conversion try coming.
And where would the Texans' be? Unless you finish in the bottom 10 of the draft, you have no shot at a QB that is franchise-changing. Ask the Steelers and Mike Tomlin how that has worked for them since Big Ben left? Good to Great Defense, no QB. You want to give up 2-3 1st round picks plus a 2nd and maybe a star defense player to move up? EVERYONE is always looking for QBs. Star QB NEVER hit the Free Agent market in or near their prime. The Seahawks actually got lucky; the Vikings wanted to play McCarthy and Darnold had a bad playoff performance. Otherwise you are paying Geno Smith and hoping is not terrible (ask the Raiders). How long have the Texans looked for a QB? Schaub was good for 3 years, then he wasn't. After that, Watson was the answer...until the message kink blew up. Then you end up like the Browns, throwing a bunch of draft picks at a trade and overpaying for QB...who seemed to have forgotten how to play because of the scandal. The best decision for the Texans is to try to fix and help Stroud.
I agree, but the question is do we re-sign him longterm to a big contract, exercise a 5th year option and wait until after next season to consider a longterm deal, or do we decline his 5th year and let him become a free agent after 26'?
If the texans decide that CJ isn't the guy and decline the option, you absolutely HAVE TO tank next season and win 3 games MAX. It would reset the rookie qb timeline but the ONLY option that isn't CJ is a full tank for one season.
Anyway, from what I'm hearing it sounds like QB coach Jarod Johnson will remain in Houston and so if CJ is going to improve he's going to have to go pay for his own QB coach. I guess CJ is on his own, as usual. For CJ's sake, a part of me hopes that Houston doesn't exercise his 5th year option so that he can go play for a competent coaching staff. Maybe the Rams after the 26' season?
Next year is make it or break it for Stroud. Hopefully with a 2nd year playcaller, improved o-line reinforcements, returning Tank Dell, 2nd year Higgins/Noel, returning Collins, if he does not play well it's time to cut bait.
IMO you don't give up on Stroud "yet", but he is on a 2 year prove it scenario. Let's be fair the FO has done him ZERO favors by giving him two OC`s who haven't done jack **** and an offensive scheme that's been successful with TB12 at the helm. We know what it's like to be in QB purgatory and finding "the guy" can be painful. I do not want Mills or anyone like him as the QB right now and I love Mills but please, he is a backup for a reason, albeit an above average backup..............fix this O Line and give the kid some weapons and let's see what happens, if he can't rise to the occasion then fine, cut bait, the Broncos are just getting back from Wilson`s ridiculous contract so let's not sign CJ for 2 more years
