The Houston Texans signed former Minnesota Vikings pass rusher Danielle Hunter to a two-year, $49 million contract in a big-money deal on Day 2 of 2024 NFL free agency. So, how good or bad is this signing for the Texans? Read on to find out and see our final grade for this deal.
The Texans made a bold move with the Danielle Hunter contract
There is no debating that the Texans took a big swing with the Danielle Hunter contract. This two-year, $49 million pact has $48 million guaranteed, and the annual average value (AAV), according to Spotrac, makes Hunter the sixth-highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL, tied with the Chicago Bears’ Montez Sweat at $24.5 million per season.
Now, the list of edge rushers who make more than Hunter reads like the All-Pro team roster. Those names are Nick Bosa ($34 million AAV), Brian Burns ($28.2 million), TJ Watt ($28 million), Joey Bosa ($27 million), and Myles Garrett ($25 million).
And this isn’t one of those NFL fuzzy math deals either. There is almost no way that Hunter won’t be on the Texans for the next two seasons. This season, he has a cap hit of $14.7 million and a $48 million dead cap number. In 2025, it’s a $24.7 million cap hit and $34.75 million in dead cap. That means, while there are ways to lower the cap number next season, cutting Hunter would cost an additional $10 million.
So, for better or worse, the Texans have Hunter for the next two seasons. However, there doesn’t seem to be much “worse” with the pass rusher.
Hunter was a third-round pick out of LSU in 2015, meaning he is entering his ninth NFL season. Still, the former Tiger is relatively young. He won’t turn 30 until late October.
He has four Pro Bowl selections, five double-digit-sack seasons, and 87.5 career QB takedowns. Since 2016, only four players — Watt, Aaron Donald, Garrett, and Khalil Mack — have more sacks than Hunter’s 81.5, per Statmuse.
Last season, Hunter was his usual excellent self, putting up a career-high 16.5 sacks, 22 QB hits, and leading the league in tackles for a loss with 23. And that was with DJ Wonnum as his opposite rush end, which didn’t exactly strike fear in the hearts of offensive linemen.
Quietly, Hunter has been one of the best defenders in the league over the past near-decade, and now he is heading to Houston to form what could be one of the best defensive lines in the NFL.
At the 2023 NFL Draft, the Texans made the bold move of trading their 2024 first-round pick to trade up to No. 3 and take Alabama pass-rusher Will Anderson Jr. This gamble has paid off well for several reasons.
One is that Anderson was excellent this season. He has 7.0 sacks, 10 tackles for a loss, 22 QB hits, and made the Pro Bowl on his way to winning Defensive Rookie of the Year. And that was playing on a line with Jonathan Greenard, Sheldon Rankins, and Maliek Collins.
In 2024 NFL free agency, the Texans have now signed Danielle Hunter and former Tennessee Titans DT Denico Autry to free agent deals.
While CJ Stroud and the Texans offense gets much of the buzz, with defensive-minded head coach DeMeco Ryans at the helm, this unit could become one of the best in the league next season. Hunter and Autry both offer flexibility that Ryans can use to great effect, with the former being able to play defensive end of stand-up linebacker and the latter flexing between D-tackle and D-end.
In the end, there is not much downside at all to this deal. Even if, for some surprising reason, Hunter doesn’t work out, his $24.5 million comes off the books after the 2025 campaign, which is before the Texans even need to pick up CJ Stroud’s fifth-year option, let alone give him a huge extension.
This was simply one of the best signings of the NFL free agency period, which is why it earns such a high mark.
GRADE: A
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