Nico Collins Gets $17 Million Raise in Texans Restructure

nico collins agreed to a contract restructure with the Texans on Tuesday, and the deal adds $17 million in cash over the next two seasons. The move locks in his salary for 2026 and 2027 and keeps Houston’s top receiver tied to C.J. Stroud.

Collins And C.J. Stroud

The restructure gives Collins $9 million in 2026 and $8 million in 2027. At 27, he remains the No. 1 target for Stroud after another productive season at a position where Houston has already committed major money elsewhere.

Collins played 15 regular-season games in 2025 and finished with 71 catches on 120 targets for 1,117 receiving yards and six touchdowns. That was his third consecutive season with more than 1,000 receiving yards, a run that put him squarely at the center of Houston’s passing game.

Texans Draft Moves

Houston also spent the offseason building around him. The Texans selected Rutledge with the 26th overall pick in the first round, McDonald with the 36th overall pick in the second round, Klein with the 59th overall pick in the second round, and Bond with the 204th overall pick in the sixth round.

The team’s stance on Collins had already been firm. During Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, Houston general manager Nick Caserio said the Texans were not considering trading him, even after teams around the league checked on his availability. Friday’s three-year, $150 million extension for Anderson and Wednesday’s fifth-year options on Anderson’s rookie contract and Stroud’s rookie contract made Collins’s restructure part of a broader stretch of Houston roster decisions.

Houston’s Top Receiver

For Collins, the result is simple: his salary is secured for the next two seasons, and his place in Houston’s offense is unchanged. The Texans have now paired that commitment with major draft investment and quarterback stability, keeping the passing game centered on Stroud and the receiver who has produced like a No. 1 target for three straight seasons.