It’s no secret that NFL contracts have inflated massively over the last number of years, and Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. seems to be the next defender who’s up for a big payday.
The Texans’ defense ranked second in the league in 2025 according to PFSN’s Defense Impact Metric, and Anderson played a significant role in pressuring opposing quarterbacks. What are his services actually worth?
Albert Breer Predicts Will Anderson To Become Highest-Paid Defender
As evidenced by how defenders are generally paid, pass rushers are the most valuable individuals on defense. A unit that cannot pressure the quarterback is far more likely to fail by every standard. Therefore, players like Green Bay Packers star Micah Parsons and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt are among the highest-paid defenders in the league.
As such, Anderson is also expected to secure a big bag when he becomes a free agent in 2028.
“With Anderson, the question really is the price point,” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer wrote. “Nick Bosa changed the market in 2023, landing a deal at $34 million per year, well above T.J. Watt’s $28 million deal. Maxx Crosby topped Bosa at $35.5 million 18 months later, and weeks after that, Myles Garrett pushed the market to $40 million per year.”
The pass rusher market has consistently seen new highs in recent years, which should massively favor a lineman like Anderson.
“Months later, T.J. Watt got $41 million per year, then Parsons landed at $46 million per year after he was traded,” Breer added. “Given that wild rate of inflation, it would be a stunner if Anderson went for less than $50 million per year, and the Texans showed last year with Derek Stingley Jr. that they have a desire to get these deals done early.”
The Texans’ star continued to ramp up his numbers in his third year, recording 12.0 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, and even one recovery for a touchdown. He set new highs across every stat category, reinforcing the case for $50 million per year.
“The market isn’t going to reverse itself, and this is a guy who is legitimately the standard as a worker and a player that head coach DeMeco Ryans wants to set,” Breer said.
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Houston saw a rough start to the 2025 season, going 3-5 into Week 10. However, they subsequently saw the biggest turnaround in the NFL, winning 10 consecutive games, including a dominant playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The campaign offered plenty of insight into how valuable Anderson is to the roster as a whole, and his next contract should reflect as much.
