The Houston Texans have made several incredible moves this offseason, but one of their biggest was offering a new deal to All-Pro defensive end Danielle Hunter on a one-year deal worth $35.6 million following his dominant Pro Bowl campaign at NRG Stadium.
After becoming a rising star with the Minnesota Vikings for nearly a decade, the Houston native set the tone opposite Pro Bowl Will Anderson Jr., helping the Texans reach the postseason for a second straight year. Finishing top 10 in sacks, tackles for loss and pressures, Hunter was worth every penny as the Texans set a record-setting 46 sacks in 2024 while securing another wild-card round victory as an underdog.
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Pro Football Focus’ Dalton Wasserman assembled a list of the 30 best players over 30, and it wasn’t a surprise to find Hunter among the list.
Hunter’s first year in Houston was a standout. His 81.1 pass-rush grade marked the second-best of his career and extended his streak of seasons with a 77.0-plus pass-rush grade to five. Including the postseason, his 74 pressures ranked sixth among edge defenders.
In 17 games for the Texans, Hunter finished tied for fifth in the league in sacks (12) while recording a pressure rate of 23.9%, second most among players with at least 200 pass rush snaps, according to Next Gen Stats. Pair alongside Anderson, the Texans forced plenty of turnovers in 2024, including 19 interceptions (second most in the NFL) and finished with 29 total takeaways (fifth most).
Hunter’s resume is quite impressive. He’s a five-time Pro Bowler and former second-team All-Pro. He’s also one of the more consistent pass-rushers in NFL, averaging 12.5 sacks since 2019. Now locked up through 2026, he’ll provide stability along the defensive line that should be even more improved under DeMeco Ryans in Year 3.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans DE Danielle Hunter among PFF’s top 30 players over 30