Texans Defender Lands Significant Contract Change

After the Texans opted to shake up their receiver room by bringing in Christian Kirk on Thursday, the front office now follows up by clearing space taken up by that new acquisition by restructuring Al-Shaair's deal, providing a bit more flexibility ahead of the league market opening.

Al-Shaair, a Texans captain, was signed to a three-year, $33 million deal last offseason en route to becoming a consistent part of the Texans' defense when on the field in 2024. He started in 11 games to post 70 tackles, 7 TFLs, two sacks, and two forced fumbles. The Houston linebacker also saw a three-game suspension due to his controversial hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Looking ahead to what's to come, don't be surprised if the Texans continue to jump through some salary cap hoops in the coming days to maximize their flexibility. Keep an eye on Danielle Hunter and Laremy Tunsil as other restructure candidates as the team could clear over $20 million in room by adjusting both deals.

NFL free agency negotiations officially kick off across the league at noon ET on Monday, March 10th.

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