Texans icon JJ Watt drops clear verdict on Nico Collins $24,000,000 a year deal after Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins blockbuster contracts

When Nico Collins signed a contract extension worth $24 million per year with the Houston Texans, no one expected the market to grow as much as it did, especially with the news related to the 2025 offseason.

The Cincinnati Bengals struck a deal with Ja'Marr Chase ($40.25M per year) and Tee Higgins ($28.75M per year), their star wide receivers. The deals could've been done last year, but the Bengals failed to meet their asking prices. As such, the numbers went up during the 2025 offseason.

Former Texans defensive end JJ Watt, who won three Defensive Player of the Year awards while playing in Houston, praised the team's front office for completing the deal with Nico Collins sooner rather than later.

"Take care of your own early, reward them and reap the benefits & goodwill for years to come. Everyone wins," Watt wrote on X.

Watt explained the benefits of making deals earlier. With the salary cap rising every year, working your deals earlier will be beneficial in the long term also for a basic reason: you don't want your superstars unhappy.

"Guess what happens if they don’t perform over those 2 years? They get cut. It goes both ways. Doesn’t take away from the fact that paying your guys early saves money and animosity in the long run. The cap always goes up. Numbers aren’t coming down."

Collins signed his $24 million after his breakout season in 2023. He once again crossed the 1,000-yard mark in 2024 but missed five games due to injury, as the Texans made it to the AFC Divisional Round before losing to the Baltimore Ravens.

Nico Collins adjusted his contract to open cap space for the 2025 season

One year after signing his extension, the wide receiver helped the team with a contract restructure. The Texans were able to open $9.8 million in cap space to sign other players.

Some of the signings made included trades for wide receiver Christian Kirk and safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson and interior defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins. They also extended the contract of superstar cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., who became the highest-paid defensive back in the league.

Collins' cap hit is now $8.57 million in 2025, but this number will rise to $27.5 million and $28.8 million in the next two years. The team also added void years to his contract, meaning he'll be in their books until, at least, the 2029 season.