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    Texans, Stroud having ‘productive’ contract talks

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    HOU Quarterback #7
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    Texans general manager Nick Caserio said the team has had “productive conversations” with QB C.J. Stroud on a potential contract extension.

    The Texans exercised Stroud’s fifth-year option earlier this offseason, making him extension-eligible with two seasons left on his contract. Caserio said there is a “possibility” an extension is reached before the season starts, but nothing is set in stone yet. Getting a deal done soon appears to be a priority for the Texans and contract talks at least sound positive between management and Stroud’s agent, David Mulugheta. For now, there have been “productive conversations” between the two sides.
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  • HOU Quarterback #7
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    Stroud is currently eligible for a contract extension, and Breer believes Stroud is conducting himself “with a seriousness that underlies the big year he has in front of him.” Citing good health and a growing relationship with OC Nick Caley, Breer adds that Stroud has also taken “more command of the offense” this summer. The Texans might not need Stroud to be a prolific passer every week, given their elite defense, but it sounds like Stroud is taking the necessary steps to deliver more reliable results when called upon. Hopefully, he indeed rises to the occasion when the regular season arrives.
  • HOU Quarterback #7
    Caley adds that Stroud “looks good” and is “locked in.” These comments were made in relation to Stroud’s offseason work with his new QB coach, Jerry Schuplinski, who also happens to be Caley’s mentor. Former Texans QB coach Jerrod Johnson left the organization this offseason after learning that the staff planned to reduce his role. Per Caley, Stroud and Schuplinski are working well together, and Schuplinski is focusing on getting Stroud back to his rookie season form. This report doesn’t give us a ton to go on, but the fact that the offensive coordinator is pleased with his quarterback’s offseason development is at least positive. For now, continue treating him as a starter in superflex leagues.
  • HOU Quarterback #7
    Stroud, according to DJ Bien-Aime, cut out all sugar and consumed nothing but “water and lean food.” This has led to some offseason weight loss as Stroud angles for a new contract with the Texans. “Expect a slimmer Stroud,” Bien-Aime said. Houston might exercise Stroud’s fifth-year option before committing to him long term after his ugly end to the 2025 season. Stroud had a solid 2025 season overall, finishing 12th in EPA per drop back — just behind Jared Goff — and 20th in QB accuracy, just ahead of Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers. Stroud will likely be a distributor in a run-first Houston offense this season and a nice option in superflex leagues.
  • HOU Quarterback #7
    Less than a month ago, McNair went on record at the annual league meetings saying the Texans are “totally behind” Stroud. Now, McNair has doubled down on those comments, hoping to cast aside any speculation that the team has doubts about Stroud being the quarterback best suited to lead the Texans for the foreseeable future. The Texans have exercised the fifth-year option on Stroud, keeping him under contract through 2027, and are expected to offer him an extension sometime next year. Stroud has struggled to regain his rookie form after throwing for 4,108-23-5 in 2023, but has led them to a 28-18 record and a postseason berth in each of his three seasons. Hopefully, with more offensive weapons around him next season and an improved running game, the Texans can relieve some pressure from Stroud as he enters his fourth season.
  • HOU Quarterback #7
    Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, had his fifth-year option picked up by the Texans. He will get $25.904 million in 2027 and is now extension-eligible. The 24-year-old got off to a fast start as a rookie, but stumbled the past two seasons. Last seen on a football field throwing four interceptions in the Divisional Round, Stroud still needs to sustain success beyond putting up fine numbers in the regular season. The Texans don’t have to commit to him long-term just yet, but they make the decision to give Stroud close to $26 million to start in 2027.
  • HOU Quarterback #7
    He adds that the Texans will engage in talks with Stroud’s representation “at some point” about a long-term contract, the expectation is that any potential long-term extension wouldn’t get done this offseason. It’s sensible for the Texans to not get out ahead of the Stroud talks after last year’s playoff flatlining. It’s also sensible for the Texans to look at all 52 games that he’s played, rather than just his last two, when thinking about what they expect from him going forward. The Texans will try to build up around Stroud ahead of the last two years of his rookie contract to see what they can get out of him, and Alexander believes an improved running game should also take some of the pressure off of him.
  • HOU Quarterback #7
    “He’s not going anywhere,” Caserio added. Well, that settles that. Caserio shut down loose talk of the Texans parting with their franchise quarterback after Stroud’s nationally televised Divisional Round meltdown against the Patriots in which he threw for 212 yards, one score, and four interceptions. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said in late January that he would not talk about a contract extension for Stroud “right now,” fueling social media speculation that the team was not fully committed to Stroud as their long-term starter. Stroud’s sometimes massive struggles over the past two seasons likely means he won’t get a top-tier extension, though it would be a shock if the Texans parted ways with him. Since the start of the 2024 regular season Stroud ranks 23rd out of 34 qualifying QBs in EPA per drop back.
  • HOU Quarterback #7
    Both Stroud and Jets quarterback Justin Fields reportedly turned down invitations to the Pro Bowl Games, both citing their offseason preparations as the reason for the decision. It makes sense considering the crossroads of their respective careers, with Stroud set to play the 2026 regular season on the final year of his rookie contract prior to a team option in 2027. The fact that the Pro Bowl has become a glorified dog and pony show also likely influenced their decisions. Either way, there isn’t much to read into this non-news.
  • HOU Quarterback #7
    Stroud said after the Texans’ Divisional Round loss to the Patriots that “there are no excuses” for throwing four interceptions on 47 attempts against New England, but that he was still getting comfortable in an offensive scheme installed by first-year offensive coordinator Nick Caley. Stroud in 2025 completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 3,041 yards and 19 touchdowns with eight interceptions, improving in most categories after a letdown of a 2024 season following his outstanding 2023 rookie campaign. The Texans will have to make a decision on Stroud’s fifth-year contract option by May 1, and head coach DeMeco Ryans said after the team’s postseason loss that he would not discuss the team’s plans for Stroud, who turns 25 in October.
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    It is just a day after the Texans’ season ended, so it’s an unsurprising non-answer. It’s still noteworthy that the answer wasn’t exactly an affirmative, no-questions-asked, yes. “There is a lot of negative talk right now and he understands that,” Ryans said in an answer about how his message to Stroud is to block out the noise. Stroud’s catastrophic playoff performance will likely leave him getting his fifth-year option picked up this offseason, but neither Stroud nor the Texans should exactly be giddy about negotiating off his 2025 season. We’d be surprised if a long-term extension was coming before the conclusion of 2026 — if it comes at all.

Rotoworld

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    The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia said Skyler Bell is outside the top four of Bills receivers early on in camp.

    This could change at any moment, but according to Buscaglia, the Bills’ top four receivers are “clearly” DJ Moore, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, and Joshua Palmer. Buscaglia notes that Bell’s separation skills and releases from the line of scrimmage have been good, but that the rookie’s “ball skills have held him back” thus far. The Bills used the 125th overall pick in the draft to select Bell in April. Once thought of as a deep sleeper for the 2026 fantasy season, it sounds like he has some work to do before he can get on the field and make an impact on Sundays.
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    Xavier Legette (stinger) returned to practice on Sunday.

    Legette suffered a reported “stinger” on Tuesday and hadn’t been heard from since. On Sunday, the third-year receiver made his return to the field as he looks to continue competing for targets in a receiver room that’s headlined by Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker
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    Josh Downs (groin) did not practice on Sunday.

    This is the second-straight missed practice for Downs, who is managing a groin injury. The team has not provided any additional updates on Downs’ status or how long they expect him to be sidelined, so this will be something we continue to monitor until we get more information on how long he could be out. Downs is one of two starting receivers currently sidelined for the Colts, as Alec Pierce (ankle) continues to recover from offseason surgery.
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    ESPN’s John Keim believes OL Brandon Coleman is the “top internal option” to takeover at LT for Laremy Tunsil.

    Tunsil suffered a torn triceps in Saturday’s practice and is expected to miss most or all of the regular season. Coleman, who has started 14 games at left tackle in his career, is currently competing for the starting job at left guard, but could slide over to tackle with Tunsil now sidelined. Per PFF, Coleman allowed nine sacks and 30 QB pressures during the 2024 season while earning a 65.3 pass-blocking grade. Other internal options included veteran tackle Andrew Wylie and 2025 first-rounder Josh Conerly Jr., who currently occupies the starting right tackle slot. It wouldn’t be surprising if we saw multiple players get a shot at filling the massive void left by Tunsil in the coming days/weeks.
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    ESPN’s Jordan Raanan says “barring a setback, it seems Malik Nabers (knee) is trending towards being ready Week 1 for the Dallas Cowboys.”

    Nabers’ participation in training camp has steadily increased over the last two weeks, and the star receiver has reportedly looked good on his surgically repaired knee. According to Raanan, Nabers has “looked better as the summer progressed” and was able to cut and jump without any trouble. While he has yet to participate in seven-on-seven or 11-on-11 drills, the belief is that Nabers will begin participating in live drills in the coming weeks. The uncertainty surrounding Nabers’ injury has created a nice buying opportunity for fantasy managers who were willing to take a shot on him earlier this offseason at his suppressed ADP. While his price is likely to go up for the remainder of summer, if Nabers is good to go for Week 1, he will be well worth the cost as he projects as a high-end WR1 when healthy.
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    Jadarian Price (leg soreness) is expected to return to Seahawks practice “in a few days.”

    At least that was coach Mike Macdonald’s assessment after Price missed his second consecutive session Saturday. Any missed practice time can be a big deal for a rookie in camp, but Price appears to have avoided calamity. Fowler confirms Price has “highly impressed Seattle in camp.” Looking to dominate early-down reps before Zach Charbonnet’s return, Price is reportedly also trying to get up to speed as a pass catcher. That would be a nice added bonus, but any early-season fantasy value would almost certainly be derived from a two-down workload and goal-line carries.
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    NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports Commanders LT Laremy Tunsil has been diagnosed with a torn right triceps and will miss a “significant” portion of the season.

    Fresh off becoming one of the highest paid offensive lineman in the history of the league, Tunsil suffered the injury in Saturday’s practice. He is expected to undergo surgery, and his absence will be measured in months, probably a minimum of 3-4 of them. It’s possible he misses the entire campaign. It appears the initial plan is for last season’s swing tackle, Andrew Wylie, to step in on the blindside, leaving 2025 first-rounder Josh Conerly to remain on the right. Brandon Coleman is another less-than-great in-house option. We wouldn’t be surprised if Conerly eventually kicks left, however. Whatever happens, it’s a monumental downgrade, one that will have Washington scouring the remains of the free agent market and perhaps angling for a trade to add some depth. It’s not the news Jayden Daniels needed as he himself looks to stay healthy after an injury-cursed year.
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    Panthers are expected to sign veteran free agent QB Kyle Trask.

    The move makes sense considering Trask served as the backup quarterback in Tampa under Dave Canales. Trask remains unlikely to crack camp as a member of the 53-man roster, most likely simply providing additional depth at the position through the end of camp. The move that makes the most procedural sense would be to retain undrafted free agent Haynes King on the practice squad while Kenny Pickett serves as the primary backup to Bryce Young.
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    Broncos WR Jaylen Waddle worked to the side at practice Saturday.

    That’s exactly the news fantasy managers were hoping to see after Waddle experienced “some muscle tightness” earlier in the week, prompting his time away from practice. The veteran free agent addition worked to the side Saturday and also shed the leg sleeve he had been seen to be wearing the previous two days, running with no changes in gait. Fantasy managers can breathe a sigh of relief as Waddle enters the year as the top option through the air for a dangerous Broncos team.
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    Panthers QB Haynes King (hamstring) expected to miss multiple weeks.

    King apparently picked up a hamstring injury during the Panthers’ Hall of Fame, comeback win over the Cardinals Thursday, a significant hindrance to his chances of making the final 53-man roster out of camp. The injury is expected to sideline King for multiple weeks, prompting the team to list him “week-to-week.” King signed with the Panthers as an undrafted free agent following the NFL Draft and made a strong case to push for primary backup duties after leading a game-winning touchdown drive in the two-minute drill against the Cardinals. Those hopes now are likely out the window with the injury, with Kenny Pickett almost assuredly set to enter the regular season as the primary backup behind Bryce Young. King should stick with the team on the practice squad after signing a three-year contract in the spring. The Panthers are expected to add an additional quarterback to the roster in the coming days.