A massive payday has made Houston Texans star Will Anderson Jr. the most expensive non-quarterback player in National Football League history, according to sources familiar with the contract negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on Friday.
Anderson’s new three-year deal is worth $150 million, with anonymous sources confirming the agreement that has not yet received official announcement from the team.
The contract guarantees Anderson $134 million over its duration.
At $50 million annually, Anderson’s new salary eclipses the previous record held by defensive end Micah Parsons, who earns $46.5 million per year under a four-year contract he signed with Green Bay following his trade from Dallas in the previous year.
During the most recent season, Anderson appeared in every game for Houston and recorded career-best numbers with 12 quarterback sacks and 20 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, helping anchor one of the league’s premier defensive units.
Houston moved up in the 2023 draft to select Anderson third overall, choosing the former Alabama star immediately after taking quarterback C.J. Stroud with the second pick.
Throughout his three-year tenure with Houston, Anderson has accumulated impressive statistics including 30 total sacks and 136 tackles, with 46 of those stops coming behind the line of scrimmage. His career numbers also feature 64 hits on opposing quarterbacks, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.
With Houston having already picked up Anderson’s fifth-year option earlier this month, the new extension will secure his services through the 2030 campaign.
