The Houston Texans came up short in Sunday’s Divisional Round contest against the New England Patriots, effectively ending their 2025 NFL season. One of the main culprits for the loss was quarterback CJ Stroud, who threw 4 interceptions in the game, all in the first half, as Houston’s defense did their best to keep the team in the game.
The performance was so poor early on that the possibility of a benching was discussed both on the broadcast’s halftime show and social media. Davis Mills never made an appearance, but there are now major questions surrounding Stroud and his status as the Texans’ franchise quarterback.
NFL Rumors: Where Will CJ Stroud Land If Texans Trade Him?
If Houston’s front office is to explore trade opportunities, which teams might be interested in bringing in the former Rookie of the Year? Here are three possible destinations for CJ Stroud should the Texans cut ties:
New York Jets
Perhaps the most interested quarterback situation to watch during the upcoming offseason is that of the Jets. The team has been in need of a franchise quarterback for, well, forever, and they are in position to make a commitment over the next two years. Thanks to big mid-season trades, they now have five first round picks in 2026 and 2027 combined, more than enough ammunition to pull off essentially any scenario they choose.
With a weak QB class entering the league in 2026, though, the Jets could look to bring in a stop-gap. But instead of a well traveled veteran or unproven youngster, they could pivot to bringing in someone with both experience and tons of upside. Stroud might not even cost the team one of their first rounders, and they could potentially deal away one of their two-second rounders in April.
Las Vegas Raiders
They don’t have the same kind of future draft capital as New York, but the Las Vegas Raiders are in a similar situation. They are in desperate need of a franchise pass thrower, and are well positioned to address that need by holding the no.1 overall pick in 2026. Fernando Mendoza would be the selection should they choose to make their move this offseason, but Stroud’s potential availability could give them another option.
Like the Jets, the Raiders could bring in Stroud in a play-to-stay type of role, with a potential to become the team’s signal caller of the future. If they selected that route, they could make the no.1 pick on the trade block, which would give them the necessary assets to fill more holes up and down their roster.
Minnesota Vikings
After letting Sam Darnold walk in free agency last offseason, the Vikings put their eggs in the basket of unproven first round pick JJ McCarthy in 2025. While there were some solid play from the first-year starter, it was an overall disappointing campaign, and the team regressed from a 14-3 record in 2024 to a 9-8 mark and a failure to qualify for the postseason.
There are rumors that Minnesota could be looking to make an early change in their path at the position. Names like Kyler Murray have been mentioned as possible options if they do move on from McCarthy, and Stroud could be added to that list. The Vikings don’t have the deep draft pockets like the Jets and Raiders of the world, but if the asking price for Stroud is a second rounder, Minnesota could be interested in his services.
