The Houston Texans have a decision to make about the future of All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. in the next three months.

“Will’s a good player,” Texans general manager Nick Caserio said during his end-of-season press conference. “I mean, we drafted him because he thought he was a good player, and he’s been a good player, and he’s improved each year. So, again, I mean, there’s never a linear path on any of this. So, you know, I’m sure you guys will be calling the agents all the time asking what the hell’s going on. But we’ll kind of take it one day at a time and try to figure out what makes the most sense for the organization.”

In 2023, Houston traded its first- and second-round selections in the 2023 NFL Draft and its first- and third-round selections in the 2024 NFL Draft for the Arizona Cardinals’ first- and fourth-round selections in 2023. That allowed the Texans to pick Anderson at No. 3 in 2023 after two seasons as a unanimous All-American selection at Alabama.

Anderson signed a four-year, $35.213 million contract that included a $22.609 million signing bonus.

As with all first-round picks, Anderson’s contract included a team option for a fifth season. To use that option to retain Anderson for the 2027 season, the Texans will need to exercise it by May 1.

Anderson was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year for the 2023 season as chosen by The Associated Press and the Pro Football Writers of America. But what has made Anderson’s fifth-year option more expensive for Houston was his selection to the AFC Pro Bowl team this season.

As an original-ballot Pro Bowler (as opposed to an injury replacement, which Anderson was in his first season), his option increased in value to an estimated $22.908 million, according to overthecap.com — $7.217 million more than if he did not have the Pro Bowl accolade.

In 2025, Anderson played for $1.03 million plus a roster bonus of $2.921 million, and he’s due to get $1.145 million plus a roster bonus of $4.407 million for the 2026 season.

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The Texans have another option that they can use this offseason to keep Anderson out of free agency next offseason. Because he has played three NFL seasons, Anderson is eligible for a contract extension.

The most expensive pass-rusher in the NFL, Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons, has a four-year, $186 million contract. Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett broke the NFL single-season sack record in 2025 on a four-year, $160 million contract.

Garrett and Anderson are the defensive ends on the AP All-Pro team for the 2025 season. They’re also among the finalists for the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award.

“There’s some things just business-wise I’m sure we’ll look at and discuss,” Caserio said. “So that’s kind of what the offseason is about, so I mean there’s a timing element that’s involved in some of that. So kind of work through it here, you know, I’m sure throughout the course of the spring.”

Anderson said he would like to remain with the Texans beyond the 2026 season.

“I want to be here my whole career,” Anderson said. “I love the Texans. I love everything about them. You know, they traded up and got me, man. But I don’t really like to speak on all these things. But, of course, I would love to be here, man. And if it’s in God’s will to happen, it will happen.”

Anderson has increased his sack total in each of his seasons, starting with seven in 2023 to 11 in 2024 to 12 in 2025. He also has eight sacks in six postseason games.

The Texans have reached the playoffs in each of Anderson’s seasons, the first time the franchise has made the postseason field in three consecutive campaigns. But Houston’s season has ended with a second-round loss in the AFC playoffs in each year of Anderson’s career.

“The future is still bright here,” Anderson said. “I think we have a really great core here — offense, defense, special teams, great coaching — and like I said, man, it’s just still trying to figure out a way how we can get over this hump. But, man, you talk about a special group. This is a really a special team, special players, a lot of special things that happened, and we just want to keep building off of that. …

“This season was so special. Such a big, big, big group of special guys. Just like, dang, like, I wish we could have did it with this group, man. But I know next year we’re going to keep getting the right guys in here, keep getting the right people in here. The people that’s already in here, keep bonding together and keep getting better. And I think it’s just the consistency part of keep building this culture and getting the people in here that we know fit the culture.”