Texans GM Nick Caserio Shuts Down C.J. Stroud Trade Buzz

INDIANAPOLIS, IN–– It appears the Houston Texans aren't too interested in trading away C.J. Stroud any time soon.

Texans general manager Nick Caserio addressed the recent trade speculation regarding Stroud and questions regarding his future with the team at this week's NFL Combine, calling the rumors "moronic," and ensured Houston won't be trading him.

"It's moronic. We're not trading the guy. He's our quarterback. So, he's going to be playing quarterback for the Houston Texans in 2026," Caserio said via Landry Locker. "You guys can speculate that, but we're not trading C.J. Stroud."

Outside of shutting down any trade talks, Caserio also continued to emphasize the confidence he has in Stroud during his media availability ahead of the combine to make the organization's stance even clearer: he and DeMeco Ryans will continue to stand by their players, and there's a ton of confidence for what's ahead.

"Yeah, he's our quarterback," Caserio said. "He ain't going anywhere. We have a lot of confidence, a lot of belief. The philopsophy that DeMeco [Ryans] and I have, we're going to support our players, and do everything we can to help them."

"This league is about ups and downs. I mean, nothing's perfect. No team was undefeated, unless I missed something this year... You're going to have some good plays, you're going to have some bad plays. You're going to have some good games, you're going to have some bad games. How do you bounce back, how do you handle that?... We have a lot of confidence in C.J. We have a lot of confidence in our players, and we're glad he's our quarterback."

#Texans GM Nick Caserio on if he’s lost any confidence in C.J. Stroud moving forward:

“He’s our quarterback. He ain’t going anywhere.” pic.twitter.com/5kwYOaTorf
— Jared Koch (@jjaredkoch) February 24, 2026

Texans Make It Clear C.J. Stroud Won't Be Traded

Despite buzz lingering through the past weeks and months after the Texans' ugly playoff loss to the New England Patriots in the divisional round, it's as firm of a declaration that the Texans have held onto Stroud and his future. Rather than attempting to sell off their franchise guy under center, they want to continue building him up and building around him.

The 2023 second overall pick will enter his fourth season with the Texans looking to bounce back from a bumpy third year. He was inconsistent throughout the season, had missed three games due to injury, and with a brutal way to end the year to add on top of it, it's easy to pin Stroud as the fall guy for Houston's shortcomings.

But rather than piling onto that narrative, the Texans have clear confidence in Stroud's abilities, and want him to continue as the leader of the offense until further notice.

Jan 18, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) throws in the first quarter against the New England Patriots in an AFC Divisional Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

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Looking ahead to what's in store for Stroud this offseason, the Texans will be tasked with deciding upon his fifth-year option to keep him signed until 2028, and have the option to sign their quarterback to a rookie extension in the coming months on top of it, if they truly want to cement that confidence.

However, the more likely option for the two sides might be to wait on hashing out a new deal until next year. Considering the Texans' need to re-sign defensive centerpiece Will Anderson Jr. with a hefty contract, but also for Stroud's camp likely looking for a better deal than what he'd be offered this offseason after a turbulent campaign, holding off appears to be beneficial for both sides.

Regardless, the expectation remains that Stroud will remain under center for the Texans for the 2026 season, therefore muffling any further rumors that may surface connecting Houston to anything of the sort.