Texans Pro Bowl DE Danielle Hunter considered to have NFL's most 'team-friendly' contract
Inked to a one-year extension worth $35.6 million, Hunter has landed among the highest-paid players at his position entering the 2025 campaign. Add in the consistency from the left side with Will Anderson Jr., the Texans could have one of the best duos in the NFL for the foreseeable future.
ESPN's Dan Graziano recently broke down every team's most player-friendly contracts heading into next season. For the Texans, Hunter's top-three contract, but also consistency over the last decades in Houston and Minnesota, placed him at the top of the list for the most player-friendly edge rusher contract.
"The Texans got to this offseason and were looking at having Hunter under contract for one year and $19.5 million. Nice deal for them if they did nothing," Graziano wrote. "But Hunter was coming off a 12-sack season and deserved a raise. With only one year left on the deal, the Texans didn't want to risk letting him play out the deal and leave as a free agent next year, so they did an extension. The new deal increases his 2025 pay from $19.5 million to $32 million (of which $31.5 million is guaranteed) and adds a 2026 season that includes $22.6 million fully guaranteed.
"All told, Hunter will end up making $61.5 million in his first two years in Houston and a fully guaranteed $84.1 million over his first three. And because he was extended for only one year, another strong season by him would put Houston in the same boat next offseason of having to extend him again or let him play out the final year of his contract."
Despite being the second-highest paid edge rusher in the league at $35 million annually, the number is a bargain because of the measurements for Hunter. A four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Hunter averages at least 12.4 sacks and 16.3 tackles for loss a season. Over his last four years, that number has been elevated to 13.7 sacks and 18.2 tackles for loss, something most defensive ends would consider to be a career year.
After a strong 2024 debut, Houston felt confident in paying out their five-time Pro Bowler the raise he deserved. As Hunter suits up for his 11th season, if he can remain healthy, one could expect him to remain consistent. Last season could have been the beginning of something that makes Houston one of the league's more viable threats in the AFC for several years.
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