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Texans Sign No. 3 Pick Will Anderson Jr.

June 23rd, 2023 at 12:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

For the first time in 2023, a top-five pick from this year’s class has inked his rookie contract. Will Anderson Jr.‘s Texans deal is now in place, as noted (on Twitter) by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Anderson’s contract is worth a fully guranteed $35.2MM over four years; Houston will be able to keep him on the books beyond that via the fifth-year option. He will receive a signing bonus of $22.6MM as he begins his NFL career, one during which much will be expected of him.

The Alabama alum entered the 2022 season in the running to hear his name called first on draft night. His sophomore campaign saw him rack up 17.5 sacks and 31 tackles for loss, figures which placed him fifth in Heisman voting in that year. A step forward from those lofty totals would have boosted his stock even further, but the opposite scenario played out during the campaign.

Anderson’s production took a step back in terms of sacks (10) and TFLs (17), but they still resulted in considerable accolades. The 6-4, 243-pounder was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year, winner of the Bronko Nagurski award (given to the country’s top defender) and a unanimous first-team All-American for the second consecutive season. He was thus squarely on the Texans’ radar in the build-up to the draft.

Houston appeared to take themselves out of contention for Anderson when they selected quarterback C.J. Stroud second overall. That decision was soon followed, however, by a bold move up the board to No. 3 which saw the Texans part ways with the No. 12 pick and a package including a 2024 first-rounder. Anderson’s arrival in Houston will thus be met with sky-high expectations both in his rookie season and over the course of his career.

The Cardinals will have plenty of reasons to follow Anderson’s performance in 2023 and the impact it will have on the Texans’ ability to begin heading out of the rebuilding phase. He will transition from an outside linebacker to a defensive end at the NFL level under new head coach DeMeco Ryans, a change which is not expected to slow his development. Anderson will have plenty of snaps available as a rookie member of an edge group which will be led by Jerry Hughes and Jonathan Greenard after the free agent departure of Ogbonnia Okoronkwo.

With Anderson now on the books, Stroud stands as the only Texans rookie yet to ink his rookie deal. He, along with Anderson, will be central figures in the team’s performance in 2023 and for several years beyond that.

Texans Notes: Green, Perryman, Griffin, Staff

June 21st, 2023 at 9:53pm CST by Ely Allen

The Texans received updates on two injury situations with the potential to bleed over into training camp, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. It looks like Houston will see a defender back at full-speed, while an offensive starter may have a bit further to go.

Firstly, Wilson reported that free agent addition Denzel Perryman is nearly back to full-strength after recovering from labrum shoulder surgery. The former Raiders linebacker missed games last year with a dislocated shoulder before ultimately undergoing the procedure. The 30-year-old has graded out as a top-30 linebacker in each of his two years in Las Vegas, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He’s projected to start beside Christian Kirksey and Christian Harris in 2023.

On the offensive side of the ball, last year’s rookie starter at offensive guard, Kenyon Green, is still making his way back from an arthroscopic knee surgery that he underwent this offseason. New head coach DeMeco Ryans was noncommittal on when Green would return. “We’ll see where Kenyon is come training camp,” Ryans told reporters. “For Kenyon, he has to be ready to go, and the work he puts in over the next few weeks will see if he’s ready and ready to go out and compete.”

Here are a few other rumors coming out of H-Town:

  • The Texans were recently able to add free agent cornerback Shaquill Griffin to their secondary. According to another report from Wilson, Houston wasn’t the only team with interest in the veteran corner. Griffin claims that along with his former team in Jacksonville and his new team in Houston, he felt interest from the Vikings and Commanders. He only made one visit, but his trip to Texas was enough to sell him on the team’s scheme and “energy.”
  • Houston was recently able to reach an agreement to extend defensive tackle Maliek Collins to a new two-year, $23MM deal with a reported $20MM of guaranteed money. Recent updates adjust the latter number slightly. Collins was actually guaranteed $20.5MM, consisting of a $10.5MM signing bonus, Collins’s 2023 base salary of $2MM, and his 2024 base salary of $8MM. His contract will also include a per game active bonus of $29,411 for a potential season total of $500k.
  • Lastly, there was a bit of a shakeup in the Texans’ front office last weekend. According to Wilson, former chief of staff Nick Kray is no longer with the organization. Kray came over with Ryans from the same position in San Francisco when Ryans took the head coaching gig in Houston. Since his departure, assistant to the coaches Jake Olson has taken over Kray’s duties. Olson was recently added to the staff after stints as Kent State director of football operations and Yale chief of staff.

DB Notes: Baker, Gordon, Lions, Chinn

June 15th, 2023 at 12:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Budda Baker issued a trade request in February, though it did not become public until mid-April. The Pro Bowl safety remains with the Cardinals and attended the team’s minicamp this week. But the disgruntled defender did not participate in on-field work, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com tweets. This hold-in effort did involve some degree of participation, with Jonathan Gannon indicating Baker has texted with him regarding film and has been in contact with coaches.

“It was good to have him in the building today,” Gannon said (via Weinfuss), calling Baker’s situation “the business side of it.” “Smile on his face. He was asking a bunch of questions. I told the coaches, you better be on your toes cause he’s going to ask good questions. The dialogue has been great, and I’m ready to get [No.] 3 back out there.”

With the Cardinals rebuilding and unlikely to have Kyler Murray available to start the season, it would be interesting to see if they listened to offers for Baker. It also is understandable for Gannon to want the decorated safety back in the mix, given the talent the Cardinals lost on defense this offseason (J.J. Watt, Zach Allen, Byron Murphy, Markus Golden). Two years remain on Baker’s $14.75MM-per-year contract, which has paid out its guarantees.

Here is the latest DB news from around the NFL:

  • The Bears now have three second-round cornerbacks on their roster, adding Tyrique Stevenson to a mix that includes Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. A 2022 Round 2 choice, Gordon is now ticketed for a full-time slot role, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The Washington product played both inside and outside last season, logging a 97% snap rate in the 14 games he played. Gordon intercepted three passes and forced a fumble as a rookie, though Pro Football Focus did not view his coverage work especially fondly, ranking the 6-foot defender 108th among qualified corners.
  • Will Harris moved from safety to slot corner with the Lions last year, but the team’s secondary overhaul included the additions of two hybrid players — C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Brian Branch. Both safeties have extensive slot experience, and Gardner-Johnson — despite leading the NFL with six interceptions last season as an Eagles safety — is expected to play plenty in the slot with the Lions. Harris should be expected to be a backup in 2023, per the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett, who notes the fifth-year defender should work as the top reserve on the outside and in the slot. A former third-round pick who re-signed on a one-year deal this offseason, Harris started 10 games last year.
  • Used as a linebacker and a safety over his first three seasons, Jeremy Chinn is set to stay on a versatile track in Carolina. The former Panthers second-rounder has worked as a nickel presence throughout the offseason, David Newton of ESPN.com notes. New Panthers secondary coach Jonathan Cooley said the staff has not fully pinned down Chinn’s role, which will make this run-up to a contract year interesting. The Panthers held off on trading Chinn last year, keeping him as part of a young defensive core.
  • Texans cornerback Steven Nelson hired a new agent recently, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who notes David Mulugheta is now representing the ninth-year defender. Nelson signed a two-year, $9MM deal with the Texans in 2022, but started all 15 games he played. Going into his age-30 season, the former Chiefs, Steelers and Eagles corner is running out of time to make another financial splash.
  • The Cardinals made tiny splashes in the secondary recently, adding corners Dylan Mabin and Bobby Price. Both will be on league-minimum deals, with GOPHNX.com’s Howard Balzer tweeting Price will earn $1.01MM (the minimum for a fourth-year player) while Mabin is at $870K (the basement for a player with one year of experience). With neither assured of a roster spot, no money here is guaranteed.

Texans, Maliek Collins Agree On Extension

June 14th, 2023 at 1:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

For the second straight offseason, the Texans are giving Maliek Collins a two-year contract. The veteran defensive tackle will now be signed through the 2025 season.

Collins agreed to terms on a two-year, $23MM extension Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). That deal will include $20MM guaranteed. This marks a nice raise for the ex-Cowboys draftee. His previous contract — a two-year, $17MM pact — contained $8.5MM guaranteed. Only $1MM guaranteed remained on Collins’ 2022 agreement.

Although Collins has only been in Houston since 2021, this marks his third contract with the rebuilding team. Nick Caserio‘s first offseason in the Houston GM chair involved a one-year, $5MM deal. The Texans re-signed Collins as a free agent in 2022 and will now make a bigger bet on the former Cowboys and Raiders starter. It would not be surprising to learn the $20MM number represents the total guarantee, rather than the amount locked in at signing, but this continues to show the franchise’s commitment to the D-line starter. Collins will enter the 2023 season with 96 career starts.

Despite the Texans firing David Culley and Lovie Smith after one season apiece, they are deeming Collins an early fit in a new defensive scheme. DeMeco Ryans is installing his 4-3 alignment, moving Collins to a full-time D-tackle role. He played in a 4-3 look in Dallas and Las Vegas, and with teams generally rushing four from nickel sets, the 3-4/4-3 divide is not nearly as notable as it once was.

Collins, 28, served as one of the more reliable pieces on two bad Texans teams. A 15-game starter in 2021 and 2022, Collins has combined for six sacks and 18 tackles for loss during his Houston run. While Pro Football Focus graded the former third-round pick as a mid-pack interior D-lineman last season, the advanced metrics site slotted him in the top 20 against the pass. While Ryans does not have an Arik Armstead-level piece on his new Texans defense, Collins’ contract points to him being the team’s interior pillar.

The Texans have obviously not come close to replacing J.J. Watt, one of the NFL’s all-time D-line greats, but they do have two veteran starters in place to start Ryans’ run. In addition to extending Collins, the team brought in former first-rounder Sheldon Rankins on a one-year, $9.75MM deal. The Texans also signed ex-49er rotational cog Hassan Ridgeway this offseason. The team’s Collins-led inside corps should be improved in 2023.

AFC South Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Metchie

June 7th, 2023 at 4:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts had Isaiah Rodgers in mind when they traded Stephon Gilmore and let Brandon Facyson defect to the Raiders in free agency. It now looks like Rodgers, currently under investigation for an alleged violation of the NFL’s gambling policy, will not play this season. Three other players — C.J. Moore, Quintez Cephus and Shaka Toney — found to have bet on NFL games received indefinite bans that will cover at least the 2023 season. The Colts did not become aware of the Rodgers investigation until it surfaced recently, Stephen Holder of ESPN.com notes (on Twitter).

Although the Colts did not know about any Rodgers gambling probe during the draft, they chose cornerback Julius Brents in the second round. But the team already had a long-term need at the position, even if Rodgers was part of the 2023 equation. Rodgers, who admitted to some degree of wrongdoing hours after the report of his gambling surfaced, was not at the Colts’ latest OTA session, per Holder. The fourth-year defender had attended Indy voluntary workouts this offseason.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

  • As the list of AFC teams connected to DeAndre Hopkins expanded again today — via the former All-Pro’s upcoming Titans meeting — the Jaguars do not appear interested. Doug Pederson said (via 1010 AM’s Mia O’Brien) it is “not a reality” for the team to add another receiver piece. This makes sense, as the Jaguars already have their top three receivers tied to notable contracts. The team’s top move for 2023 was adding Calvin Ridley to a receiving corps housing Christian Kirk‘s $18MM-per-year contract and Zay Jones‘ $8MM-AAV deal. Ridley is tied to a $10.9MM fifth-year option, which tolled from 2022 due to his gambling-induced absence.
  • On the subject of re-emerging receivers, the Texans will have to wait a bit longer for John Metchie. While the 2022 second-round pick did some offseason work, he is currently sidelined with a hamstring strain. Metchie suffered the injury during the first phase of Houston’s offseason program, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who adds a training camp return is expected. Metchie is on his way back from the leukemia diagnosis that sidelined him as a rookie. The Alabama product also has not played since suffering a torn ACL late in the 2021 season.
  • A ruptured Achilles tendon kept Rigoberto Sanchez off the field throughout last season, but the veteran Colts punter is back at work. Sanchez is punting again, per the Indianapolis Star, though he has yet to participate in a Colts workout. The team is ramping up its seventh-year punter, who sustained the injury to his punting leg in practice just before last season. Sanchez, who has also served as Indy’s kickoff man, is entering the final season of his four-year, $11.6MM contract. Sanchez, 28, is the only punter on Indianapolis’ roster.

Contract Details: Trubisky, K. Jackson, Texans

June 4th, 2023 at 9:28am CST by Rory Parks

Here are a few details on recently-signed contracts/extensions:

  • Mitchell Trubisky, QB (Steelers): Two-year extension. Signing bonus of $6.92MM. 2023-25 salaries (unguaranteed) of $1.08MM, $4.25MM, and $5MM. 90-man offseason roster bonuses of $1MM in 2024 and 2025. Up to $4.25MM of incentives in 2023. Up to $14.5MM in incentives from 2024-25. Via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk and Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  • Kareem Jackson, S (Broncos): One-year, $2.67MM. Despite a 13-year career as a full-time starter, only guarantee is $152.5K signing bonus. Twitter link via Mike Klis of 9News.com.
  • Byron Cowart, DT (Texans): One-year. $1.08MM salary (veteran minimum). Includes injury waiver for previous back and knee injuries. Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of KPRC2.
  • Neville Hewitt, LB (Texans): One-year. $1.2MM salary. Signing bonus of $300K. Playing time incentives of up to $300K. Per game active roster bonus of up to $200K. Twitter link via Wilson.
  • Greg Little, OT (Texans): One-year. $1.08MM salary (veteran minimum). Signing bonus of $100K. Twitter link via Wilson.
  • Shaq Mason, G (Texans): Three-year, $36MM extension ($22MM guaranteed) on top of one remaining year of club control in 2023. Signing bonus of $10MM. 2023-26 salaries of $1.07MM (guaranteed) $9.25MM (guaranteed), $10MM ($1.05MM guaranteed), and $10.4MM (unguaranteed). Annual per game active roster bonus of up to $500K. Annual Pro Bowl incentive of $250K. $50K workout bonus from 2024-26. Twitter link via Wilson.

Trubisky was already under contract through 2023, and he was due an $8MM salary for the upcoming year. So, as Florio notes, the 28-year-old passer essentially gave the Steelers two more years of club control without any increase in 2023 pay and without securing any guaranteed money in the two tack-on years. It seems that after Pittsburgh unexpectedly re-signed fellow signal-caller Mason Rudolph, Trubisky was worried that he might be released, so in order to lock in the $8MM he was already planning to earn this season, he agreed to a team-friendly extension.

His contract is now due to expire when Kenny Pickett‘s rookie deal expires, so the Steelers will at least have a high-end backup on hand as Pickett seeks to establish himself as Pittsburgh’s franchise QB.

2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team

June 2nd, 2023 at 3:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

The start of June has served as a key NFL financial period for decades. While teams no longer have to wait until after June 1 to make that cost-splitting cut designation, teams pick up the savings from those transactions today. With a handful of teams making post-June 1 cuts this year, here is how each team’s cap space (courtesy of OverTheCap) looks as of Friday:

  1. Chicago Bears: $32.58MM
  2. Carolina Panthers: $27.25MM
  3. Arizona Cardinals: $26.68MM
  4. New York Jets: $24.79MM
  5. Detroit Lions: $23.72MM
  6. Indianapolis Colts: $23.39MM
  7. Dallas Cowboys: $20.48MM
  8. Houston Texans: $16.81MM
  9. Green Bay Packers: $16.57MM
  10. Pittsburgh Steelers: $15.73MM
  11. Cincinnati Bengals: $14.92MM
  12. New Orleans Saints: $14.27MM
  13. New England Patriots: $14.12MM
  14. Miami Dolphins: $13.9MM
  15. Cleveland Browns: $13.86MM
  16. Philadelphia Eagles: $13.85MM
  17. Los Angeles Chargers: $12.61MM
  18. Jacksonville Jaguars: $12MM
  19. Washington Commanders: $11.57MM
  20. Baltimore Ravens: $11.54MM
  21. San Francisco 49ers: $10.72MM
  22. Atlanta Falcons: $10.7MM
  23. Denver Broncos: $10.13MM
  24. Minnesota Vikings: $9.75MM
  25. Tennessee Titans: $7.99MM
  26. Seattle Seahawks: $7.94MM
  27. New York Giants: $3.82MM
  28. Las Vegas Raiders: $3.37MM
  29. Los Angeles Rams: $1.49MM
  30. Buffalo Bills: $1.4MM
  31. Kansas City Chiefs: $653K
  32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $402K

The Dolphins gained the most from a post-June 1 cut (Byron Jones) this year, creating $13.6MM in cap space from a deal that will spread out the cornerback’s dead money through 2024. But the Browns (John Johnson, Jadeveon Clowney) and Cowboys (Ezekiel Elliott) created more than $10MM in space as well.

The Jets’ number is a bit deceiving. They are still working on a restructure with Aaron Rodgers, as the trade acquisition’s cap number — after a Packers restructure — sits at just $1.22MM. In 2024, that number skyrockets to $107.6MM. Rodgers’ cap hit will almost definitely will climb before Week 1, so viewing the Jets along with the other teams north of $20MM in space is not entirely accurate.

Minnesota is moving closer to separating from its $12.6MM-per-year Dalvin Cook contract. The team already created some space by trading Za’Darius Smith to the Browns. Cleveland, which is one of the teams connected to DeAndre Hopkins, added Smith and did so with help from its Deshaun Watson restructure. Watson was set to count $54.9MM against the Browns’ 2023 cap. That number is down to $19.1MM, though the Browns’ restructure both ballooned Watson’s mid-2020s cap figures to $63.9MM — which would shatter the NFL record — and added a 2027 void year.

Tampa Bay and Los Angeles sit atop the league in dead money, with the Bucs — largely from their April 2022 Tom Brady restructure — checking in at $75.3MM here. That total comprises nearly 33% of the Bucs’ 2023 cap sheet. The Rams, at more than $74MM, are not far behind. Despite the Bills and Chiefs — the teams most frequently tied to Hopkins — joining the Bucs and Rams near the bottom of the league in cap space, both AFC contenders also sit in the bottom five in dead money.

DeAndre Hopkins Eyeing Texans Reunion?

June 2nd, 2023 at 9:58am CST by Adam La Rose

The top storyline around the league remains DeAndre Hopkins‘ first career foray into free agency and where he will ultimately land. Another team has emerged as a potential destination.

Hopkins is “interested in re-joining” the Texans, reports Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Houston selected the three-time All-Pro in 2013, and he spent the first seven seasons of his career there. His time with the team included five campaigns of more than 1,000 receiving yards, but ended with a controversial trade to the Cardinals in 2020.

The architect of that deal on the Texans’ side (Bill O’Brien) is no longer in Houston, though the same is also true of Hopkins’ close friend, quarterback Deshaun Watson. The latter is now in Cleveland, one of many teams which has been named as a potential Hopkins suitor. Wilson notes that a Cleveland deal for Hopkins is considered a “strong possibility,” something which likely distinguishes it from a hypothetical Texans reunion.

Houston has made a number of alterations to its WR room this offseason, including the signings of Robert Woods and Noah Brown from the Titans and Cowboys, respectively. The Texans also added a pair of wideouts (Nathaniel Dell and Xavier Hutchinson) during this year’s draft, and have 2022 second-rounder John Metchie set to debut in the NFL after a cancer diagnosis caused him to miss his entire rookie campaign. With Brandin Cooks having been traded earlier in the offseason, though, room for a veteran pass catcher certainly exists in Houston.

As is the case for many teams, finances represent an obstacle to any serious Hopkins pursuit on the Texans’ part. The rebuilding AFC South outfit currently has $16.8MM in cap space, but that figure will drop considerably once their top two draft picks from this year (quarterback C.J. Stroud and edge rusher Will Anderson Jr.) sign their rookie contracts. If Hopkins holds firm on his reported desire to sign a contract similar in value to the $15MM Odell Beckham Jr. accord, plenty of maneuvering would be needed for Houston to make an aggressive push to re-acquire him.

The presence of O’Brien hasn’t stopped the Patriots from being linked to Hopkins now that he is a free agent. While a return to the franchise where the pair spent considerable time together appears to be on the radar, it will be interesting to see if it emerges as a serious possibility relative to the other contenders to sign the latter.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/30/23

May 30th, 2023 at 5:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

New York Jets

Washington Commanders

Johnson has bounced around a bit since his two-year Buccaneers stay. After a 360-yard receiving season in 2021, the former fifth-round pick has failed to catch on with the Texans or Raiders. Johnson played in two Houston games last year and, after signing a reserve/futures deal with the Raiders, received his Las Vegas walking papers earlier this month. In addition to the notable 2021 showing, Johnson has seven playoff receptions on his resume.

Stallworth re-signed with the Texans in February but ended up on IR — due to what his agent called a short-term injury — earlier this month. This settlement will allow Stallworth to heal up and attempt to play this season elsewhere. Stallworth played in seven games (six with the Chiefs, one with the Texans) last season but logged 32 as primarily a Colts backup from 2020-21. The veteran D-tackle is going into his age-28 season.

Each NFL Franchise’s Richest QB Contract

May 29th, 2023 at 9:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The quarterback market has moved again this offseason. A year after Aaron Rodgers raised the average annual value bar past $50MM, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson did so on long-term extensions. Overall, four teams have authorized the most lucrative QB deal in their respective histories this offseason. Two more — the Bengals and Chargers — are in talks about record-setting extensions as well.

On that note, here is the richest quarterback contract each team has authorized. Although teams like the Jets and Lions have acquired big-ticket contracts via trade, only teams’ extensions or free agency agreements will qualify here.

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Jay Cutler, January 2014. Seven years, $126.7MM. $38MM fully guaranteed

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Carson Palmer, December 2005. Six years, $97MM. $30.8MM fully guaranteed

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

In trading this contract to the Jets in April, the Packers restructured the deal. Rodgers’ exit will still tag the Pack with $40.3MM in 2023 dead money.

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Carr’s second Raiders deal — agreed to in April 2022 — was worth $40.5MM per year. The full guarantee, thanks to the February escape hatch the team built into the contract, checked in lower than Carr’s initial Raiders extension.

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Cousins’ 2020 extension checked in with a higher AAV ($33MM) but did not approach his initial Minnesota pact for guarantees.

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Chad Pennington, September 2004. Seven years, $64MM. $23MM guaranteed.

The Jets have signed three quarterbacks to deals involving more guaranteed money, but each of those contracts — for Mark Sanchez (2009), Sam Darnold (2018) and Zach Wilson (2021) — was a rookie pact.

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

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