It’s the first time in franchise history that the organization will pay a rookie their entire signing bonus up front.
HOUSTON — Once rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud puts pen to paper, more than $23 million will hit his bank account.
The Houston Texans will pay Stroud his entire signing bonus up front for the first time in franchise history, according to multiple reports.
Stroud, who was drafted No. 2 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, agreed to sign a four-year deal worth more than $36 million on Monday with training camp on the horizon. He was the last unsigned rookie after No. 3 overall pick Will Anderson signed his rookie deal last month.
Two weeks after he was drafted, Stroud took the practice field in uniform to get used to his new playbook.
“Learning an offense, it’s like learning a new language, so say you have to learn how to speak that language and speak it fluently, especially for C.J. stepping into the huddle and making those play calls,” said Ryans. “So the biggest thing is how much and how quickly can they grasp the terminology and be able to communicate that effectively when they’re on the field.”
Camp breaks Wednesday as the team prepares for the 2023-24 season. The Texans will have eight practices free and open to all fans beginning Friday.
The team will also hold joint practices with the Miami Dolphins in Houston on Aug. 16-17, then travel to New Orleans to practice with the Saints on Aug. 24-25.