The Houston Texans have agreed to contract terms for one of their top picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Texans and their second-round pick, defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, have agreed to a four-year deal.
According to the report, McDonald's rookie deal is worth just over $12.9 million for four years, which is in line with the projected contract value for any player selected 36th overall in this year's draft. But what is most intriguing about the contract terms for the former Ohio State defensive star is that it is fully guaranteed.
Caserio continues to set contract trends
Not that long ago, fully guaranteed contracts in the NFL were quite taboo. Former Houston Texans star quarterback Deshaun Watson was awarded a fully guaranteed deal when he was traded to the Cleveland Browns. Many executives and high-ranking NFL officials scoffed at the notion of a fully guaranteed contract. However, Texans' general manager, Nick Caserio, has consistently gone against conventional thinking, as evidenced by his recent deals with Texans’ rookies and star players alike.
Rewarding stars and future stars alike
This offseason, when the Texans extended star defensive end Danielle Hunter, they signed him to a one-year, fully guaranteed $40.1 million contract. The deal provided Hunter with a $30.7 million signing bonus for 2025, which allowed Houston to save $14 million in cap space this year. Similarly, cornerback Derek Stingley signed a three-year, $90 million contract with the Texans, and all $90 million is fully guaranteed, regardless of performance or injury.
Dishing out that kind of money and fully guaranteeing it for proven stars on the field is more than understanding. An organization would and should do everything in its power to acquire and maintain elite talent on the field, especially if the goal is to win a Super Bowl. But extending that to rookies is quite different and a little bold, which Caserio clearly is.
In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Texans selected former Iowa State Cyclones receiver Jayden Higgins with the 34th overall pick. Caserio wasn't just satisfied with snagging first-round talent in the second round and opted to add to the headline by fully guaranteeing Higgins's four-year rookie contract, worth $11.7 million in total salary, including all base salary and signing bonus.
This was a historic move by the Houston GM, as Higgins became the first second-round pick in NFL history to receive a fully guaranteed contract. And Higgins did not disappoint in his rookie campaign, providing star quarterback CJ Stroud with a solid, big-body pass-catching threat on the outside. The former Cyclone finished the year with 41 catches on 68 targets for 525 yards and six receiving touchdowns.
McDonald's confidence is key
Returning to the topic at hand, McDonald is expected to have a solid NFL career, but the rookie wants more than that. During the Texans' rookie mini camp, the former Ohio State consensus All-American and Big Ten defensive lineman of the year let it be known that he has levied some lofty expectations for himself, and that's just for his rookie campaign.
“Win a Super Bowl, rookie of the year, all pro first year,” said McDonald when asked what he hopes to accomplish individually. “These are realistic for me. I wrote those down and I'm blessed to be here and I've got a chance.”
His belief in himself and the Texans is a strong indicator of what the future might hold for this union. Caserio and the Houston front office also believe in McDonald’s vision. Which is why they had no problem, for the second year in a row, signing their second-round selection in the NFL draft to a fully guaranteed deal.
Add us as a preferred source on Google