Three Teams That Could Trade for Texans QB C.J. Stroud

The NFL world had been put on notice for a potential C.J. Stroud trade in the early portion of this offseason, as various whispers have started to linger around the league connecting the Houston Texans quarterback to a deal.

The Texans soon have to pay their 24-year-old signal-caller on a new contract, and after an up-and-down past two seasons and a bit more uncertainty surrounding his future in Houston, teams might be looking to strike a deal to land the 2023 top-two pick and squeeze that rookie-level production out of Stroud themselves.

As to who could be in the mix concerning a trade for Stroud, there have been no hints as to who might be interested. But based on pure speculation, there are a handful of teams that could make some real sense to push for the Texans quarterback.

Here's a batch of three that could emerge as ideal suitors for Stroud:

1. Miami Dolphins

Dec 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (28) warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Miami really would be a destination to keep an eye on if the Texans were serious about sending out Stroud.

They're in need of a new quarterback under freshly-hired coach Jeff Hadley, have Houston's former offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik at the helm at the same position, and if teams are trying to get the best out of Stroud from what was seen in his rookie season, connecting the quarterback with the same play-caller that he was with in his first year could be a route that Miami is willing to invest in.

The one hurdle would be surrounding Miami's lack of real assets to lie on the table for the Texans to really be interested. Houston certainly wouldn't be interested in a Tua Tagovailoa swap, and unless there was a route to a real upgrade under center or a significant return in draft assets, it could be hard to get Nick Caserio to budge on a deal.

2. New York Jets

Dec 28, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn on the field before the game against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Jets are likely to be in the quarterback hunt once again this offseason as head coach Aaron Glenn attempts to save face heading into his second season at the helm. And if New York wanted to make an investment under center, they'd have the clear assets for the future to do so.

The Jets have nine picks in the first two days of the draft for the next two seasons, and might be willing to shed a couple of those in order to pounce on Stroud if the opportunity were available.

If the Texans weren't willing to pay their quarterback long-term, and a trade to claim assets in return actually were in play, New York would make a ton of sense for Houston to approach, if they strictly wanted the most appealing returning package.

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Would the Texans want to try to cash in on Stroud rather than invest in him long-term? Are the Jets truly willing to make the big swing with Houston to acquire a quarterback like Stroud? Don't get your hopes up for either, but hypothetically, there could be a solid partnership between the two in the event a trade really is on the table.

3. Arizona Cardinals

Oct 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) makes a throw against the Tennessee Titans during the fourth quarter at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals might be the most fascinating fit as a team for Stroud if the Texans signal-caller were to be dealt, because they're one of the select teams that could be able to send Houston a serviceable quarterback in return via Kyler Murray.

The Cardinals would save $34 million against the cap if they were to trade Murray this offseason; a move that's beginning to appear more likely as the offseason progresses, as Arizona starts a new era under coach Mike LaFleur. And if they wanted to try and swap out their current quarterback with a solid replacement in Stroud, perhaps there could be a fit between both Arizona and Houston.

There is the obvious hurdle that comes in the form of Murray's massive contract that the Texans likely wouldn't want to inherit compared to Stroud's rookie deal that they can cling onto for the next two seasons. But if the financials can be worked out, perhaps with Houston getting additional assets alongside the Cardinals quarterback, this fit isn't the worst on paper for either side.

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