March 6 (UPI) — The Houston Texans agreed to a one-year, $40.1 million contract extension with defensive end Danielle Hunter.
Sources told NFL Network, ESPN and the Houston Chronicle about the deal, which features a $30.7 million signing bonus, on Thursday. Hunter, who signed a one-year, $35.6 million extension last March, was set to become a free agent in 2027.
Hunter, 31, started every game over each of the last four seasons. He totaled 54 combined tackles, 15 sacks, three forced fumbles, three passes defensed and a fumble recovery last season. Hunter totaled a career-high 16.5 sacks over 17 starts in 2023, his final season with the Minnesota Vikings.
The third-round pick by the Vikings in the 2015 NFL Draft logged at least 10.5 sacks over eight of his last nine full seasons. The five-time Pro Bowl selection missed 10 games in 2021 due to a torn pectoral muscle.
With his new pact, Hunter is set to rank No. 4 among pass rushers in average salary, trailing only Micah Parsons, Aidan Hutchinson and T.J. Watt. Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, who earned Defensive Player of the Year honors two of the last three seasons, ranks fifth at $40 million.
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