The Houston Texans had the option to be patient, re-sign their current players, and then bring in a new squad with the hopes of winning big again.
After an explosive first season that cemented his name in the record books and in discussions involving the term “elite,” quarterback C.J. Stroud put Houston back on the map. It would be better to build on his successes and couple any room for growth with a supporting group that can work in concert with it rather than against it.
That is precisely what Texans general manager Nick Caserio did on the second day of the league’s permissible tampering period.
Houston and former Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Danielle Hunter reached a verbal agreement on Tuesday. Adam Schefter reports that the $49 million deal, of which $48 million is guaranteed, will last for two years. For an edge rusher who is rapidly nearing 30 years old and has a questionable medical history, that is a sizable guaranteed salary. Nevertheless, the Texans had every right to do so.
It’s clear what their goals are when they pair a four-time Pro Bowler who has only ever delivered, Hunter, with a standout player like edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. Houston is pursuing the big game in February, so it’s going big-game hunting.
This previous season, Hunter reached double digit sacks for the seventh time with 16.5 sacks. In terms of pass-rush win rate on true pass sets, Hunter was ranked ninth among qualified edge rushers by Pro Football Focus. Furthermore, he had the top defensive player grade for Minnesota.
