"Anderson, the No. 3 pick in the 2023 draft, recorded seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss as a rookie, earning him a Pro Bowl nod and Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He took his play to another level in 2024 with 11.0 sacks and 16 tackles for loss, which both tied for the 10th-most in the league. He did, however, miss five games due to injury across his first two seasons, suggesting his production could have been even higher."
"Anderson has the second-most sacks (10.5) and tackles for loss (14) in the NFL, putting him on pace for career-highs in both categories. He ranks second among all pass rushers with 64 pressures and a 27.2% pass rush win rate, per Pro Football Focus ( subscription required). Those numbers put him in the company of Micah Parsons and Aidan Hutchinson, both former first-round picks who signed their second contracts worth at least $45MM this year."
"Anderson's market will be in a similar range. He is headed for his second Pro Bowl, may receive All-Pro consideration, and could earn some Defensive Player of the Year votes. (He finished 14th last year). He will still be 24 when the 2026 season begins and has the additional leverage since the Texans made a costly trade up to draft him in 2023, which should position him to at least match Hutchinson's $45MM APY, if not push to match or surpass Parsons' $46.5MM APY."
The Texans are expected to start extension negotiations with Will Anderson early in the 2026 offseason. Anderson rose rapidly after being the No. 3 pick in 2023, earning Defensive Rookie of the Year and a Pro Bowl nod, then posting 11.0 sacks and 16 tackles for loss in 2024. Despite missing five games across his first two seasons, Anderson exploded in 2025 with 10.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, 64 pressures and a 27.2% pass rush win rate. He will be 24 at the start of 2026 and projects to command a second contract comparable to top recent edge rusher deals; the Texans also hold his rookie deal through 2026 and are expected to pick up his fifth-year option for 2027, making an early extension a move to clarify their cap picture.
Read at Pro Football Rumors
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]