Conventional wisdom says you can’t build a consistent winner without a top-tier quarterback. The Texans might be trying to do so by never allowing a point.
On Friday, the Texans agreed to a three-year, $150 million extension with edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. The contract is the largest in NFL history for a nonquarterback in terms of annual value, and Anderson’s $134 million guaranteed is another record.
Anderson, 24, is more than deserving. Through three seasons, he’s amassed 30 sacks, two Pro Bowl appearances, the 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year award and a first-team All-Pro nod last year while finishing second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting to Myles Garrett.
For general manager Nick Caserio, the Anderson deal is an extension of a philosophy rather than the mark of a new one.
Over the past 12 months, the Texans have now paid three defensive stars top-of-market money, including fellow edge rusher Danielle Hunter ($40.1 million in 2026) and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. ($90 million over three years in new money). Stingley’s $89 million guaranteed was a positional record until the Rams gave Trent McDuffie $100 million in March after acquiring him in a trade with the Chiefs.
While paying Anderson, Hunter and Stingley seems obvious, there’s a fascinating dynamic playing out in Houston. As the defense is getting paid record-setting numbers, the offense is getting virtually nothing in comparison.
After three years of service, quarterback C.J. Stroud is extension-eligible, but he’s far likelier to see his fifth-year option picked up after an inconsistent 2025, including committing seven turnovers in two playoff games. Receiver Nico Collins is a star, with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, but ranks just 19th in overall value and 14th in guaranteed money at his position. In fact, backup quarterback Davis Mills has the fourth-highest cap hit this year of any offensive player, at $8.1 million, highlighting Houston’s measured offensive spending.
Up front, the projected starting offensive line has a combined cap hit of $18.8 million. That figure, if it was for an individual player, would rank 23rd among offensive tackles. Former Houston tackle Tytus Howard, who was traded to the Browns this winter for a fifth-round pick, is making more than the entire Texans line.
It all speaks to Houston betting on its defense, even if the general belief is it’s much harder to win with a stellar defense than a top-flight offense. Why? Because one side of the ball needs all 11 players to shine while the other needs a great quarterback and functional supporting case.
The key question: Can the Texans make it work?
Houston has reached the AFC divisional round each of the past three seasons, primarily because of its defense. The Texans have lost each time, with the last two defeats coming to the eventual AFC champions, the Chiefs and the Patriots.
In those three road games, Houston has come up against MVP-caliber quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Drake Maye. And, despite the defense forcing three turnovers against New England and holding Mahomes to 23 points, the Texans have lost by an average of 15 points per game.
Last year’s loss in Foxborough was especially galling. Despite ranking second in scoring defense, with the league’s best edge tandem in Anderson and Hunter, the Texans fell 28–16 because of five turnovers, including four interceptions by Stroud.
The defeats raise a fair question: Can the Texans win by continuing to load up and pay up, on defense, when the offense can’t do its part?
We’ve seen teams find a way in the past, but it’s often a blip and not a sustained run of excellence. The 1985 Bears had arguably the greatest defense ever, but a limited offense and the retirement of all-time running back Walter Payton after the ’87 season made Chicago a one-title team. In 2000, the Ravens watched their top-ranked defense carry their anemic offense to a title, only to never reach another conference title game with that group. In ’15, the Broncos and their No Fly Zone defense won it all, but didn’t get back to the playoffs for a decade.
The bottom line is it’s a big bet by Caserio, who, should he eventually pay Stroud like a top-end quarterback, will be very limited in his budget to sign offensive talent. This is especially true if he gives out another extension for Hunter and/or big contracts to stars such as corner Kamari Lassiter, and linebackers Henry To’oTo’o and Azeez Al-Shaair, each of whom is due for a new deal within the next two years.
With Stroud on his rookie deal for another two seasons and Collins signed to a reasonable number through 2027, Houston can continue pouring its resources into star defenders while hoping to find offensive gold in the draft.
Last year, Caserio spent his first three picks on offensive players, selecting left tackle Aireontae Ersery while picking a pair of intriguing receivers, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. As rookies, they combined for 67 catches, 817 yards and eight touchdowns. Holding four choices in the top 69 selections next week, the Texans are primed to be aggressive once more, giving offensive coordinator Nick Caley more to work with as the defense builds new mansions.
After failing to win the AFC South for the first time since the 2022 season, the Texans are hoping to rebound behind an elite defense and an offense that can do enough.
It’s worked in rare cases before, and Houston is hoping it can do so again—conventional wisdom be damned.
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MATT VERDERAME
Matt Verderame is a national NFL staff writer for Sports Illustrated, writing features, columns and more. Before joining Sports Illustrated in March 2023, Verderame wrote for FanSided and SB Nation. He’s a proud husband to Stephanie and father of two girls, Maisy and Genevieve. In his spare time, Verderame is an avid collector of vintage baseball cards.
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