HOUSTON — The first of many offseason paydays for the Houston Texans defense started on Thursday with a one-year, $40 million contract extension for defensive end Danielle Hunter, a source confirmed to ESPN.
This is Hunter’s second extension with Houston after signing a two-year, $49 million deal as a free agent in March 2024 after an eight-year stint with the Minnesota Vikings.
After finishing with 12.0 sacks and Pro Bowl honors in 2024, the Texans rewarded him with a one-year $35.6 million to the back end of that original deal. They also gave him a $12 million raise in 2025, bumping his salary to $32 million.
Hunter’s second year with Houston surpassed his debut season as he finished with 15.0 sacks, third in the NFL, and 15 tackles for loss, eighth. His production earned him second-team All-Pro honors as the Texans defense ranked No. 2 in scoring(17.4) and total defense (279.1).
This the first of many deals to be done on the Texans’ defense. Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair earned Pro Bowl honors and is in the last year of a three-year deal worth $34 million that he signed in 2024. League sources said they expect Al-Shaair to get an extension. The same expectation for an extension is in the cards for former No. 3 overall pick Will Anderson.
The defensive end out of Alabama had a career year in 2025 finishing with 20 tackles for loss,( fourth) and 12 sacks (tied for eighth). Anderson notched his first career first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors for the second time.
The Texans are trying to get the defensive stalwarts locked up long term after paying cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., three-year, $90 million extension and nickel Jalen Pitre a three-year, $39 million contract in 2025.
NFL Network was first to report Hunter’s deal with the Texans.
