The Houston Texans emerged as one of the most exciting up-and-coming teams in the NFL during the 2023-24 season, and it's thanks in large part to the smooth transition quarterback CJ Stroud, the second overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, had from the collegiate level. Nonetheless, as good as Stroud was in his rookie season, having good receivers is always essential to a QB's success. Hence, the Texans recognize just how important Nico Collins, the 24-year old wide receiver, is to the franchise.

Collins, who has emerged as the Texans' most lethal downfield threat, has now completed three accredited seasons in the NFL, making him eligible for an early contract extension. While the Texans wide receiver still has one year left on his rookie contract, general manager Nick Caserio acknowledged that they may have to get something done soon to secure one of the franchise's building blocks.

“I’m sure I’ll get a question here very soon about Nico Collins. That’s coming. That could be a player that maybe he’s a part of the future. You’re dealing with the present. You’re focused on the short-term, but part of our responsibility is to kind of think ahead a little bit and just try to make good sound decisions for the team and the organization,” Caserio said, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2.

What will be music to the Texans front office's ears is that Collins is receptive to signing a contract extension. But for Nick Caserio, it's a matter of sorting out their moves this offseason based on urgent priority. While keeping the 24-year old wide receiver is a crucial order of business, they are currently focusing on keeping their own free agents, a laundry list of players that includes tight end Dalton Schultz.

“Right now, we’ll focus on the players who are free agents and then once we get through free agency and get a little deeper into the spring, we’ll kind of see where we are relative to what our opportunities bring. You’ve all seen our openness to propensity to have discussions at any point, spring, training camp, during the season, midseason, after the season so we’ll see how it all goes,” Caserio added.