The Houston Texans had already been one of the more active teams of the NFL free agent period, but they landed a true big-ticket item on Tuesday.
Veteran pass rush Danielle Hunter agreed to sign with Texans on the second day of the legal tampering, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. The former Minnesota Vikings edge defender was arguably the best player remaining on the market and could be the final piece of a new-look Houston defense.
Texans Sign Free Agent Pass Rusher Danielle Hunter
The Texans will essentially swap pass rushers with the Vikings, who signed former Houston DE Jonathan Greenard to a four-year deal worth $76 million on Monday. General manager Nick Caserio authorized a steeper average annual value (AAV) to lure Hunter to the Texans.
Houston is giving Hunter a two-year deal worth $49 million, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Nearly the entire contract — $48 million — is fully guaranteed. Hunter can also earn an additional $2 million via an incentive package.
Hunter’s $24.5 million AAV will tie him with the Chicago Bears’ Montez Sweat as the league’s sixth-highest-paid edge rusher.
By adding Hunter to a defense that already boasted reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr., the Texans have created one of the NFL’s most terrifying pass-rushing duos. But Houston has also added pieces elsewhere on DeMeco Ryans’ unit.
Hunter and Anderson will be joined on the Texans’ defensive line by free agent additions Folorunso Fatukasi, still an excellent run-plugging defensive tackle, and Denico Autry, who can line up just about anywhere along Houston’s front.
The Texans also added LB Azeez Al-Shaair, whom Ryans knows from their days with the San Francisco 49ers. Jeff Okudah is a worthwhile CB2 flier, while Mike Ford offers slot depth.
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If LB Christian Harris continues to ascend at the second level while CB Derek Stingley Jr. and safeties Jalen Pitre and Jimmie Ward handle the back end, Houston could have a top-five defense in 2024.
While Hunter will become one of the Texans’ oldest players, he entered the NFL at such a young age that he’s still only 29. Pass rushers and other players who spend time closer to the ball tend to decline more slowly than other positions, so Houston should feel comfortable that Hunter will age well over the next two years.
The former third-round pick set a career-high and ranked fifth in the NFL with 16.5 sacks in 2023. While Hunter may have outperformed his underlying metrics, he still ranked 12th among edge rushers in pressures and 23rd in pass-rush win rate, per PFF.
Hunter represents a departure from the Texans’ recent free agent strategy, which had primarily centered on modestly-priced additions. This is a home-run swing for Caserio and Ryans, but one that Houston can easily manage with second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud on a rookie contract.
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