This offseason has been all about change for C.J. Stroud, who has revamped his physical appearance while rededicating himself to his craft for the Houston Texans after a polarizing end to the 2025 season.
Whether or not his changes will yield the desired results remains unknown.
There is also an argument that the greatest change must come from the Texans, not Stroud, if they want to achieve their lofty goals.
C.J. Stroud Needs Texans to Address ‘Big Issue’
GettyC.J. Stroud is heading into a critical fourth season with the Houston Texans.
Stroud, the second overall pick of the 2023 draft, has led the Texans to the postseason in each of his three seasons in the NFL,. He posted career-best marks in completion percentage and Total QBR in 2025.
However, he turned the ball over multiple times in the postseason, including throwing 5 interceptions to 2 touchdowns.
Still, ESPN’s Benjamin Solak said the chatter around Stroud’s regression is “greatly exaggerated.”
Solak noted that the Texans extending Will Anderson Jr., who the drafted one pick after Stroud, put the spotlight on the QB and sparked questions about his future in Houston. Anderson, according to Solak, is one of the top-three edge defenders in NFL coming off a career year.
“Stroud is one of the 15 best players at his position. He plays a premium position and has been largely healthy,” Solak wrote on June 19. “But he’s not coming off a career year. Unlike Anderson, who was always going to sign an extension at the top of the edge rusher market, Stroud won’t ink a deal at Patrick Mahomes’ $64 million APY. With a much larger range and a much bigger overall cost come more considerations for a contract’s structure and timing.”
Solak delved into the biggest disparity between Stroud’s rookie season and 2025. That was his “explosive play rate,” which plummeted since 2023.
Changing offensive coordinators help, but only in addressing part of the problem.
“The running game is still a big issue in Houston’s offense. Since Stroud entered the league, the Texans are 31st in rushing success rate and 31st in EPA per rush,” Solak wrote. “Stroud has averaged 5.9 third-and-long dropbacks per game in the past two seasons, second only to Caleb Williams. He’s playing the game on hard mode.”
Solak argued that the context does not completely explain away Stroud’s struggles in the playoffs or “guarantee improvement.” The Texans have revamped their offensive line this offseason. They also added running back David Montgomery in hopes of shoring up their weak spot.
“But they must prove they can grind out a good rushing attack before Stroud’s burden will be lifted,” Solak wrote. “Even if that’s achieved, Stroud will need a strong postseason performance to wash the taste of 2025’s disaster class from everyone’s mouth. But we don’t need to act like we’ve never seen Stroud in the playoffs before.
“He wasn’t perfect, but he was just fine. To call him a snakebitten playoff choker is an easily disproven exaggeration.”
C.J. Stroud Predicted to Bounce Back
GettyC.J. Stroud has made a strong impression on the Houston Texans this offseason.
Solak called Stroud’s 2025 season an aberration, and NFL.com’s Eric Edholm agreed with the sentiment about the Texans’ QB. Edholm noted the “panic” over Stroud is relatively new but was justifiable after what he showed in the playoffs.
Still, Edholm predicted “Stroud will shed bust-risk label and re-emerge as top-10 QB.”
“I am not at all ready to punt on Stroud. What we saw as a rookie was too good to forget,” Edholm wrote on June 17.
“This is very much a make-or-break season for Stroud, and he might have to wait for his contract extension, but perhaps that’s the best result. Stroud can dial in this season and put to bed the notion of the ghost-seeing that appeared in last season’s playoffs. He has the team with which to do it, and don’t forget: The guy won’t turn 25 years old until Week 4. Let’s give Stroud another chance to prove himself with what appears to be his best team yet.”
If Stroud can “redefine the narrative” around him like Edholm and Solak project, the Texans will certainly ink the former Offensive Rookie of the Year to the long-term contract extension that he made clear he feels he deserves.
C.J. Stroud Gets Telling Prediction Amid ‘Big Issue’ With Texans