C.J. Stroud hasn't quite blossomed the way the Houston Texans hoped.
The talented quarterback out of Ohio State showed so much promise as a rookie, but his second and third seasons in the NFL have underwhelmed in comparison.
A rough loss to the New England Patriots in the snow on Sunday ended this Texans season in the AFC Divisional Round, a round of the playoffs the Houston franchise has never advanced beyond.
And now there have been questions asked about Stroud. He's eligible for an extension this offseason for the first time.
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Should the Texans wait to pay him?
How much has he really earned in an extension anyway?
And now, ESPN's Brooke Pryor has floated something else: Could the Texans trade Stroud?
"The Texans haven't given any indication that C.J. Stroud could be available, but with a poor performance in the playoffs that saw him turn the ball over seven times in two games, his status could be a situation to monitor," Pryor writes.
That's written in the context of the Pittsburgh Steelers looking for their next QB, but it's notable regardless.
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There really hasn't been a single mention of a Stroud trade from any prominent reporters, but now there has been.
Clearly, it acknowledges that it doesn't appear to be something on the table yet. But the fact that it could even be a thought is big news for a player with the pedigree and role with his team like Stroud.
This will start the rumor mill and speculation just a bit, and if contract negotiations drag on, the volume could end up getting louder.
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