The Texans recently exercised the fifth-year option on quarterback C.J. Stroud’s contract. That was expected, giving the team another season with the 2023 second overall pick under contract.
“I don’t really think it affects his future,” Texans General Manager Nick Caserio said Monday, via video from Aaron Wilson of KPRC.
“I mean, he’s our quarterback. We’ve said that from the beginning. [Head coach] DeMeco [Ryans] and I have both said it. I think it was more of a procedural thing. I don’t want to say it was a no-brainer, but it was kind of a no-brainer. Glad he’s here. Again, it’s more part of the process.
“We’re excited about his offseason. He’s had a good approach, had a good attitude here. He’s put a lot of work in March, April, so excited to have him around for the spring and excited to keep moving forward.”
The real question is: When do the Texans begin contract talks with Stroud’s representation? He became eligible for a contract extension after last season.
Given Stroud’s five interceptions in two postseason games in 2025, which came after a career-low 19 touchdowns in the regular season, the Texans might wait to see another season to confirm Stroud is indeed their quarterback of the future.
No one from the team has given insight into Stroud’s future beyond calling him the starter for 2026.
The fifth-year option will pay him $25.9 million for 2027.
The Texans had a pair of fifth-year option decisions to make this offseason and they’ve made the same call on both of them.
Field Yates of ESPN reports that they have exercised their 2027 options on the contracts of quarterback C.J. Stroud and edge rusher Will Anderson. Stroud was the second overall pick that season while Anderson joined the team after they traded back up to the No. 3 pick.
Stroud is now set to make $25.904 million in 2027 while Anderson will be in line to make $21.512 million.
There could still be other contract news involving both players. They are extension eligible and the Texans could lock up either or both players well beyond 2027 if negotiations go well in the coming months.
Having won the CFP National Championship with Indiana in January, running back Kaelon Black has a busy pre-draft schedule.
Black has several teams on his list for pre-draft, top 30 visits, including the Jets, Broncos, Panthers, Colts, Texans, Dolphins, Packers, Vikings, Patriots, and Raiders, a source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT.
He may also meet with the Bengals.
Black played under head coach Curt Cignetti at James Madison for two years before transferring to follow Cignetti to Indiana in 2024.
He rushed for 251 yards for Indiana in 2024 before becoming one of the Hoosiers’ two 1,000-yard backs in 2025, finishing the season with 1,040 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 36 yards.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Patriots let it be known that they were set to release linebacker Marte Mapu.
They’ve now found a trade partner for him instead.
Per Jonathan Alexander of the Houston Chronicle, the Texans have agreed to trade for Mapu with a late-round pick swap between the two teams.
Mapu, a third-round pick in the 2023 draft, appeared in 44 games with 10 starts for New England over the last three seasons, with his action m mostly being on special teams last season. He was on the field for 58 percent of the unit’s snaps and just 12 percent of defensive snaps in 2025.
Mapu is set to make $1.509 million in base salary for the final year of his rookie contract.
Free agent offensive lineman Kenyon Green will work out for the Buccaneers on Thursday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC reports.
The Texans made Green a first-round pick in 2022.
Green, 25, started 14 games at left guard as a rookie but missed the 2023 season with a torn labrum in his shoulder. He started 12 games in 2024 before the Texans traded him to the Eagles in the 2025 offseason.
He spent time on the Eagles’ practice squad and later joined the Ravens’ practice squad but did not play last season.
Green has started 23 of 27 career games.
