The Houston Texans are not sitting idly by during NFL free agency after earning a surprise playoff appearance a season ago.
That now includes adding one of the top players available on the open market. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Houston has signed Pro Bowl EDGE rusher Danielle Hunter away from the Minnesota Vikings on a two-year, $49 million contract. The deal comes with $48 million in fully-guaranteed cash and can reach up to $51 million with incentives.
Hunter, 29, was one of our top free agents on the open market. He comes to Houston after the team signed fellow EDGE guy Denico Autry earlier in the free agent tampering period. Interestingly enough, he’ll replace Jonathan Greenard. The veteran signed with the aforementioned Vikings on Monday.
Acquiring Hunter is an absolute boon for the Texans. The four-time Pro Bowler has been among the most-productive pass rushers in the NFL since Minnesota made him a third-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Related: Houston Texans acquire Joe Mixon in blockbuster trade with Cincinnati Bengals
What signing Danielle Hunter means for the Houston Texans
Hunter recorded 16.5 sacks while leading the NFL with 23 tackles for loss a season ago. It represented his fifth career double-digit sack season.
The veteran will now team up with reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson to form one of the best EDGE rush duos in the game.
Anderson registered 22 QB hits, 10 tackles for loss and seven sacks for the Texans as a rookie after they made him the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Ryans and Co. are certainly building something special on the defensive side of the ball. Heck, Houston has a well-rounded team.
Young quarterback C.J. Stroud did his thing as a rookie a season ago. Adding Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon to the mix in a trade with Cincinnati only helps matters in this regard.
Related: Top NFL free agents of 2024