The latest update on C.J. Stroud’s contract situation should have Jets fans salivating

With how miserable the last 16 years have been for New York Jets fans, we’re sure that some would be willing to pawn their entire living room if it meant having a franchise quarterback.

As of now, the Houston Texans don’t have that problem, with former Ohio State standout C.J. Stroud entering his fourth season. Whether he’ll be in Texas for the long haul is unclear, with the two sides yet to agree on a new contract. Stroud, the No. 2 pick in 2023, became eligible for an extension this past spring.

Stroud has two guaranteed seasons of team control remaining, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on Wednesday that the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year is “prepared” to suit up in Week 1 without an extension. 

“There’s a lot for Stroud to gain — and potentially lose — by delaying a deal,” Fowler wrote. “He has had moments of brilliance since entering the league in 2023. Channeling that brilliance while properly managing the game will go a long way.”

Texans general manager Nick Caserio told reporters that the team set a Week 1 deadline for a new contract.

Could the New York Jets realistically land C.J. Stroud as their next quarterback?

To be clear, there have been no credible reports that Houston is open to trading Stroud. He also has not requested a trade, nor has he hinted that he would not sign an extension with the Texans. By all accounts, both sides are in a healthy place entering his fourth season.

That shouldn’t stop Jets fans from hoping for the best. We’ve seen optimism mount about a Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow trade, and the Jets theoretically have the draft capital to make a blockbuster of that caliber happen. However, that’s also assuming that the Ravens or Bengals would risk closing their championship window — and it can be argued that both organizations have already run out of time — by trading their franchise quarterbacks.

Technically, Stroud has three seasons of team control remaining. Houston could apply the franchise tag to him in 2028, though common sense would suggest that he’d either have a new contract or a new home by that point. 

Objectively, the Jets’ chances of trading for Stroud are slim to none. Giving up multiple first-round picks doesn’t matter if Caserio still believes that Stroud represents their best chance to win a Super Bowl. Houston has never advanced beyond the AFC Divisional Round since entering the league in 2002.

But we’ve certainly seen stranger things happen, and promises mean nothing when sports are involved. Look how many times Brett Favre said that he planned to retire. Players say they want to finish their entire career with one team before they request a trade or waive their no-trade clause. And to be clear, we’re not judging them. They do whatever it takes to win and to get paid. 

Thankfully for the Jets, they don’t have to worry about having the league’s worst current quarterback situation. Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and the Cleveland Browns are more than happy to own that title.

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