This season may not be make-or-break for C.J. Stroud with the Houston Texans. And, by all accounts, it is not. However, it could still prove costly for Stroud if he fails to deliver as he anticipates.
Back-to-back seasons that failed to dazzle like his rookie campaign have left many feeling down on Stroud.
Former sports agent Joel Corry is not necessarily among them, but the onus is on Stroud.
“A record 11 first-round picks have had contracts extended after playing three seasons in 2026. This dates to 2014 when the initial first-round draft class under the rookie wage scale implemented in 2011 became eligible to sign new deals,” Corry wrote for CBS Sports on September 11.
“The Texans have reportedly offered Stroud in the neighborhood of $50 million per year. The three-year, $165 million contract extension, averaging $55 million per year, Baker Mayfield just received from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers complicates matters.”
Corry said, “Stroud has plenty of incentive to be patient. Provided he has a major bounce back from last season’s playoffs, he could be in a position to reset the quarterback market next year.”
Corry’s take offered a notable caveat ahead of the season opener.
Bills DC Jim Leonhard Delivers Cold Truth About C.J. Stroud
Stroud and the Texans open the 2026 regular season at home against the Buffalo Bills, and the latter’s defensive coordinator, Jim Leonhard, did not mince words about the fourth-year quarterback out of Ohio State.
“At times, I think he’s a little bit streaky,” Leonhard told reporters on September 10 when asked directly for his thoughts on Stroud. “When he’s on, it’s pretty. There’s a reason he was drafted [No.] 2 overall, right? Rookie of the Year. If it’s clean, and he’s playing on rhythm and on timing, he’s a damn good quarterback.”
Leonhard recalled the Texans’ Week 9 loss to the Denver Broncos, where Leonhard was an assistant before accepting the DC role in Buffalo this offseason.
The Texans had a 3-0 lead in the second quarter when Stroud suffered a concussion on a hit.
“That was the way that game started. We were on our heels. We ended up getting a couple stops early in that game in the red zone, but they were kind of moving up and down the field on us,” Leonhard said.
“He got hurt at that point as well. So, he’s going to have some confidence, right, coming into this game. He knows he’s a talented player, and he’s got some really good weapons around him, and the way that they use the run game, play action, the boots, right? Getting him out on the edge. It can be set up for it to snowball on you as a defense if you let it.”
Stroud is 2-0 against the Bills over the past two seasons, and the Texans are 4-0 against Buffalo’s Josh Allen in his career.
Stroud’s Texans lost that game against the Broncos, albeit without him.
Just as he could have confidence heading into this matchup, Leonhard could as well regarding how best to try to defend Stroud, avoiding letting him get into a rhythm. And, from the sounds of the coach’s comments, that could mean a heavy dose of blitzes and simulated pressures.
C.J. Stroud’s Biggest Issue on Paper
Like most quarterbacks, Stroud’s completion percentage when under pressure is significantly lower than when he is kept clean.
However, Stroud has an apparent problem with putting the ball in harm’s way under duress.
Per Pro Football Focus, Stroud had the second-highest turnover-worthy play percentage among QBs with at least 210 dropbacks under pressure in 2025. His 6.0% TWP% was only better than that of Geno Smith, then with the Las Vegas Raiders. Even then, Stroud’s edge was only 0.5%.
All signs point to the Texans eventually signing Stroud to a contract extension. But whether he resets the landscape or falls in line is to be determined.
Texans QB C.J. Stroud Gets Strong Words From Former Agent