The Texans have made defensive end Will Anderson the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL, based on new-money average.
Anderson signed a three-year, $150 million extension to the two remaining years that Anderson was under contract.
It took a little time to track down the full details, due in part to the draft.
We’ve gotten the numbers. Here’s the full breakdown, per a source with knowledge of the terms:
1. Signing bonus: $32 million.
2. 2026 base salary: $1.145 million, fully guaranteed.
3. 2027 base salary: $21.918 million, fully guaranteed.
4. 2028 base salary: $39.6 million, fully guaranteed.
5. 2028 per-game roster bonus: $500,000.
6. 2029 base salary: $39.5 million, $5.5 million of which is fully guaranteed at signing, all of which is guaranteed for injury at signing. The remaining $34 million becomes fully guaranteed in 2028.
7. 2029 per-game roster bonus: $500,000.
8. 2030 base salary: $41.5 million.
9. 2030 per-game roster bonus: $500,000.
So, year, it’s a three-year, $150 million extension. But there are no extensions. The existing years were folded into the new ones.
Factoring in his “old money” of $27.063 million through 2027, it’s a five-year contract that pays out $177.063 million.
The total average from signing, then, is $35.4 million per year.
The guarantees are significant. Anderson has three of five years fully guaranteed, and the fourth year will be fully guaranteed by year four.
Thursday night didn’t play out the way defensive tackle Kayden McDonald hoped, but he’s planning to use falling to the second round as motivation.
McDonald was one of 17 players who were in attendance for the first round and was one of two that did not hear their names called. McDonald chose to return for Friday night’s second round and got his moment on stage with Roger Goodell when the Texans traded up to select him at No. 36.
After he got picked, McDonald vowed to show the league that he should have come off the board earlier.
“Everybody that went before me, that fuels me,” McDonald said, via DJ Bien-Amie of ESPN.com. “There’s not one player better than me in this class. I’m going to show it. I’m coming in to work.”
McDonald had 65 tackles, nine tackles for loss and three sacks at Ohio State last season.
Texans General Manager Nick Caserio doesn’t mince words when it comes to shooting down trade rumors.
Earlier this offseason, he called speculation about the team trading quarterback C.J. Stroud “moronic” and he was equally dismissive on Friday when asked about reports that teams have been calling the Texans about dealing for wide receiver Nico Collins.
“Teams call all the time and ask about players. We’re not trading Nico Collins,” Caserio said in a press conference. “Whoever reported it or whatever information that they had, they can shove it. We’re not trading Nico.”
Caserio may not be trading Collins, but the team may need to work out something on the contract front with their top receiver. Collins has two years left on his current deal with salaries of $20 million and $21.2 million while the receiver market has skyrocketed thanks to new deals for Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ja’Marr Chase and others since Collins signed his extension in 2024.
The Texans have traded up with the Raiders for the No. 36 overall pick.
With that selection — the fourth of the second round — Houston selected Kayden McDonald out of Ohio State.
One of the top defensive tackles in this year’s class, McDonald stared for just one year at Ohio State. But he was the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year and a firs-team All-Big Ten honoree.
He appeared in 36 career games with 14 starts for the Buckeyes, tallying 11.0 tackles for loss with three sacks, two forced fumbles, and three passes defensed.
McDonald was the one player left in the green room in Pittsburgh after Thursday night’s selections.
The Texans sent the Raiders No. 38 and No. 91 in exchange for No. 36 and No. 117 in this year’s draft.
The Houston Texans are no strangers to trading up in round one. That’s how they got Will Anderson three years ago.
This time around, they didn’t move up as far. In a trade with the Bills, the Texans have moved up from No. 28 to No. 26, selecting Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge.
The Texans need good offensive linemen. In recent years, they’ve been struggling to find the right formula.
To get to No. 26 (plus pick No. 91), the Texans have sent No. 28, 69, and 167 to Buffalo.
If better offensive line play can get more out of quarterback C.J. Stroud, it will have been worth it.
