Danielle Hunter extension: Texans make veteran pass-rusher one of highest paid at his position, per report

The Houston Texans have extended the life on their Pro Bowl defensive end duo of 2023 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr. and five-time Pro Bowler Danielle Hunter.

Houston is extending Hunter on a one-year, $35.6 million contract for 2026, per NFL Media. Hunter was set to enter 2025 on the final year of a two-year, $49 million contract he signed with the Texans in free agency last offseason. The 30-year-old will now make $55.1 million ($54.1 million guaranteed) across the next two seasons. In his first season with his hometown Texans, Hunters racked up 12.0 sacks, which were tied for the fifth-most in the NFL, and 66 quarterback pressures, which were tied for the ninth-most in the league.

He and Anderson (11.0 sacks, tied for 10th in the NFL) combined for 23.0 sacks last season, which ranked as the third-most in the league by a teammate duo behind only the Denver Broncos’ duo of Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper (24.0) and the Minnesota Vikings’ tandem of Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel (23.5). Hunter’s $35.6 million salary in 2026 will rank as the second-highest among all edge rushers behind only 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett’s $40 million-per-year salary on his four-year, $160 million extension with the Cleveland Browns.