The Houston Texans had better approach C.J. Stroud’s camp with a proper offer. As it stands, the two sides have been unable to reach an agreement, and the risk is real for all parties involved.
The Schultz Report’s Jordan Schultz explaing the Texans’ gamble.
“If you pay him now, you’re looking at high [$50 million range]. If you wait a year from now–I’m gonna give you the five quarterbacks, who are all going to get paid potentially: Baker, Mayfield Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Caleb Williams,” Schultz said on “SiriusXM NFL Radio” on September 6.
“That, to me, tells me that the number for a quarterback goes from being high [$50M to $60M] to $70–let’s say $75 million. So, a massive increase.”
Schultz added, “If you’re C.J. Stroud, maybe you just say, ‘You know what, I’m gonna bet on myself, I’m gonna play good football this year, and I can get paid like a rockstar in a year.’ And that maybe where we’re heading,
“He’s not going to take a below market deal. He’s just not going to do it.”
Insider Believes C.J. Stroud Extension Will Come in Dak Prescott Range
“It is the status quo. A deal is unlikely. It is a possibility, but it is unlikely. The Texans would prefer to do it now. C.J. Stroud, instead of doing a deal that will pay him in excess of $50 million, chooses to do it later. And yes, the Texans would save money by doing it now. But they would also lack the certainty of how will he perform in the playoffs. They seem completely sold. They say that they are, but wouldn’t it be safer to avoid any potential misstep?” KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson said in a video on September 6.
“What if the playoff rocky performance, what if that rears its ugly head again? What if that happened? Hypothetical, and I don’t think he will perform that way. I think he will actually, by betting on himself, do quite well and get to the next level that financial stratosphere.”
That is where things get interesting, because there has been plenty of debate about what Stroud is seeking form the Texans in an extension.
Wilson’s report appears to confirm Houston is seeking something around $50 million annually.
“I think the number will start with a ‘60,’” Wilson said. “$60 million, that is like Dak Prescott. The quarterback market is going to rise astronomically, and C.J. Stroud can be a part of that rise. Is he going to be the leading guy? No. That’s for the Patrick Mahomeses, the Lamar Jacksons. But can C.J. make more than Trevor Lawrence, make more than other quarterbacks in that pantheon like a Justin Herbert? Absolutely he can.”
C.J. Stroud Gets Vote of Confidence
Wilson noted the recency of the deal will benefit Stroud in that regard. The insider also noted that Stroud did not perform well during the postseason. Wilson said Stroud is “better than that. He’s capable of better performances.”
The Texans may believe that, too. However, the Texans have also certainly left themselves with wiggle room on how to proceed with Stroud.
What comes next will be determined by the QB on the field.
Texans Insider Name-Drops Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert Amid C.J. Stroud Reality