The Houston Texans have exercised quarterback C.J. Stroud's fifth-year option for 2027. As a former first-round pick, Stroud's rookie contract came with a team option for a fifth year. He is now under contract for two more seasons and will make more than $25.9 million in 2027. Stroud was terrific as a rookie back in 2023, but he's coming off two relatively disappointing campaigns, as well as a six-quarter span in the 2025 playoffs during which he coughed up seven turnovers. Still, the low points haven't been bad enough for the Texans to begin searching for a new quarterback. They still view Stroud as a potential long-term solution, which is why they've committed to paying him through 2027. It will be interesting to see what happens after his rookie deal expires, though, as Stroud is currently scheduled to hit free agency prior to the 2028 season. His performance over the next two years will dictate how aggressive the Texans are in trying to extend him, as well as how much money he'll fetch in his next contract.

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said that re-signing running back J.K. Dobbins "was a priority ahead of all others," according to Zac Stevens of DNVR Sports. It was very intriguing to hear Payton go out of his way and identify Dobbins specifically. This could be a sign that he'll continue to have a large workload in 2026, even with RJ Harvey trending up ahead of his second season in the NFL. In his first season with Denver last year, Dobbins played in 10 games, tallying 772 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He ranked as the overall RB18 in half-PPR leagues before being shut down ahead of Week 11 due to a foot injury. The Broncos recently confirmed that Dobbins has fully recovered from the ailment and could have even played in the Super Bowl if Denver had qualified. Fantasy managers should prepare for the possibility of Dobbins and Harvey splitting touches next season. A shared backfield is never ideal for fantasy football, but we could still see both backs maintain fantasy relevance, given the productivity and anticipated success of Denver's offense.

University of Miami offensive tackle prospect Francis Mauigoa (back) will attend Combine Rechecks on Friday to undergo additional imaging on his back, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Mauigoa experienced discomfort late in the NCAA season while dealing with a back issue that Rapoport described as "minor." All in all, the injury doesn't sound too serious, but additional imaging could be beneficial for all parties involved. More testing will allow teams to gain clarity into Mauigoa's injury status and any potential injury risks. Meanwhile, it will benefit the lineman himself because he can use the test results to reassure teams that he is healthy going forward. As Rapoport notes, Mauigoa says he is symptom-free, but he has nothing to hide and is willing to put teams at ease by undergoing imaging. PFF's latest big board ranks Mauigoa as the #7 overall prospect and #1 tackle prospect in this month's NFL Draft.

Atlanta Falcons starting right tackle Kaleb McGary (leg) has decided to retire after seven years in the NFL, agent Collin Roberts told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. The 6-foot-6, 330-pound lineman was Atlanta's first-round pick back in 2019. He started 92 of his 93 career games, but he missed all of the 2025 season due to a serious lower left leg injury that he suffered during training camp last summer. As a result, his final NFL snaps came in 2024, when he started 16 games with a 73.8 PFF grade. He was particularly productive in run blocking, where his grade of 77.6 ranked 17th-best among 81 eligible tackles. Retiring after just seven years (and six active seasons) is a bit early for a lineman, but his future in the NFL looked complicated due to the serious leg injury and his ongoing recovery. Going forward, he'll be replaced at right tackle by Jawaan Taylor, whom the Falcons signed to a one-year deal on Wednesday.