The Houston Texans exercised the fifth-year contract options for both C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr., keeping their 2023 first-round duo under contract through the 2027 season. Both picks landed back-to-back in that draft — Stroud at No. 2, Anderson at No. 3 — and the options signal Houston's commitment to building around them as franchise pillars.
Stroud's option is guaranteed at $25.9 million. Anderson's is guaranteed at $21.5 million.
Will Anderson — The Easy Call
Anderson earned first-team All-Pro in 2025. He recorded 12 sacks, 20 tackles for loss, and 3 forced fumbles in 17 games — one of the most disruptive pass-rush seasons in the league. Head coach DeMeco Ryans confirmed the team has already been discussing a "blockbuster" contract extension that could make Anderson the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. The fifth-year option is a formality; the real conversation is about locking him up long-term before the market resets around him.
C.J. Stroud — The Complicated Call
Stroud's option is the more debated decision. His 2025 regular season was limited to 14 games due to a concussion, and the numbers — 3,041 yards, 19 TDs, 8 INTs — were career-worst. The playoff exit was ugly: a divisional round loss to the New England Patriots where Stroud threw 4 interceptions, completed just 43% of his passes, and was exposed as the game spiraled.
It was reportedly only the second time since 1991 that a quarterback threw four interceptions in a single playoff half. Stroud shouldered the blame publicly afterward.
Despite all of that, Houston committed. The fifth-year option is a vote of confidence that the 2023 No. 2 overall pick still has the talent to be a long-term franchise quarterback — that last season was an injury-impacted anomaly, not a preview of who he is.
The Organizational Logic
Exercising both options buys Houston time without forcing a premature extension decision. If Stroud rebounds with a healthy 2026 season — and the offensive infrastructure around him is strong — a multi-year deal before the fifth year kicks in becomes the obvious next move. If he struggles again, the team has 2027 to make a harder call.
For Anderson, it's simpler: sign him now. The only question is the number.
Houston is a young team with a legitimate window. Stroud and Anderson, drafted back-to-back, are the reasons why.
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