Houston Texans hit with $400m nightmare amid franchise-defining C.J. Stroud decision
Houston, we have an expensive problem.
The Texans are serious NFL playoff contenders this season, and are on the path to Super Bowl LX, which fans can watch here.
In Monday Night Football, the Pittsburgh Steelers and veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers stand in the way of a young and talented team looking to reach the Divisional Round for the third-straight year.
Houston will once again be powered by C.J. Stroud on offense, and Will Anderson Jr. on defense.
The Texans took their franchise quarterback and star defensive end back-to-back in the 2023 NFL Draft, with the second and third overall picks.
Stroud and Anderson burst onto the scene in their debut years, and won Rookie of the Year honors on both sides of the ball.
They have each since established themselves as cornerstones of the Texans’ franchise, and soon it will be time for both to get paid.
While Houston will be fully focused on their playoff run, the long-term futures of Stroud and Anderson will no doubt command attention.
Texans face expensive decision on two young stars
Both are eligible for contract extensions this offseason, meaning it might be time for team owner Cal McNair to get the checkbook out.
Anderson, perhaps, should be the top candidate for a new deal.
He has grown year on year and had 85 QB pressures this season, the second-most in the league, to earn deserved First-team All-Pro honors.
Add in 54 tackles, 12 sacks and three forced fumbles, and Anderson is a true leader in one of the NFL’s scariest defenses.
talkSPORT reacts... Big bill coming to the Texans
Whether it gets done in 2026 or beyond, C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. are going to get paid.
Both will command big contracts, and both will be worth the money.
The likes of Josh Allen ($330m), Brock Purdy ($265m), Aidan Hutchinson ($186m), and Myles Garrett ($160m) all signed massive contract extensions in 2025.
The market, for both QB Stroud and edge rusher Anderson, appears almost limitless at this point.
Stroud has potential to become one of the NFL’s star signal callers, and will be looking at Purdy’s $265m deal as a decent mark.
Anderson, meanwhile, should command upwards of $130m, and could get even closer to someone like Garrett.
Combined, the Texans could face a $400m offseason bill — and even then, many would argue it’s money well spent.
Oliver Browning, US Sports Writer.
ESPN reported last month that the No. 3 pick in 2023 is ‘expected’ to get an extension, one year after Houston made Derek Stingley Jr. the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history on a three-year, $90 million deal.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated has also previously suggested a ‘megadeal’ is coming, and that he will be worth every penny.
Considering rusher Myles Garrett recently inked a $160m deal, and Micah Parsons landed $186m, Anderson will be hoping to secure a big payday.
Stroud, meanwhile, will command plenty of money of his own.
The QB shone in his rookie season with 4,108 yards and 23 TDs, before fading out a little.
But while his stats are less eye-catching (3,727 yards, 20 TDs in 2024, and 3,041 yards, 19 TDs in 2025), there is no doubt Stroud remains a key foundation in this talented Texans team.
After all, he helped turn an 0-3 start this year to a 12-5 finish that sees Houston enter the playoffs on a nine-game win streak.
The QB market has exponentially risen in recent years, and Stroud will certainly look to land north of $200m, which would be close to some of the NFL’s highest-paid signal callers.
Combined, the Texans might be forced to cough up close to $400m if both Stroud and Anderson are to be handed extensions this offseason.
Super Bowl-chasing Houston have ‘champagne problems’
It is a good headache to have, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, who believes the Texans now face ‘champagne problems’.
“They have built their stellar and talented team the right way, through the draft,” Rapoport said over the weekend.
“And the Texans, now, are going to face the problem that many really good young teams face — how do you pay all these guys?
“We’ll start with C.J. Stroud, who they took early in the draft a couple years ago. He has really risen to be one of the better young quarterbacks in the league.
“After this season, he is extension eligible. He’s going to get his fifth-year option picked up by the team. And then they will sit down and try to figure out, do they do an extension this year or next year?
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“Will Anderson Jr, their All-Pro and Pro Bowl defensive end, is one of the best players in the NFL, regardless of position. He is extension eligible as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if this offseason the Texans took a look at this.
“The top of the edge rush market is $46.5 million (annually), with Micah Parsons. We will see if the Texans, who’ve been very player-friendly, get there with Will Anderson.”
Houston, then, has a decision to make in the coming months. Right now though, everyone involved with the franchise, including Stroud and Anderson, will be fully focused on beating the Steelers and advancing to the next round of the playoffs.
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