Texans signing Nico Collins to three-year, $75 million max value extension

HOUSTON – The deal has been struck.

The Texans are signing top wide receiver Nico Collins to a three-year, $75 million maximum value deal with a base value of $72.75 million that includes $52 million guaranteed, per a league source.

The deal was negotiated by agents Drew Rosenhaus, Ryan Matha and Jason Rosenhaus.

The Texans recognized the advanced improvement from the imposing wide receiver from Michigan.

And they planned ahead for a future that involves their top downfield threat, something that Collins recently told KPRC 2 he would embrace: an early contract extension now that he’s eligible having complete three years on his rookie deal.

“You really look at your team in sort of two-year increments, so whatever you don’t do this year, that money is going to be used in future years,” Texans general manager Nick Caserio said at the NFL scouting combine. “I’m sure I’ll get a question here very soon about Nico Collins. That’s coming. That could be a player that maybe he’s a part of the future. You’re dealing with the present. You’re focused on the short-term, but part of our responsibility is to kind of think ahead a little bit and just try to make good sound decisions for the team and the organization.”

In the wake of an epic season, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound former All-Big Ten Conference selection from Michigan was entering the final year of a four-year, $4.852 million rookie contract that included a $902,990 signing bonus and a base salary of $1.324 million this year. Under NFL rules, Collins is now eligible for an early contract extension after completing three accredited seasons.

“It means a lot,” Collins told KPRC 2 in May when asked about being earmarked for a potential early deal. “That’s everybody’s dream. To hear that from Nick, man, it means a lot. For me, I just got to continue to keep my head down. Continue to work on my game, continue to improve every day and continue to chase my end goal.

“Whatever man, I’m down for whatever. I’m not saying no to no money. I feel like I keep my head and just keep working and everything is going to come.”

When Texans Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud breaks the huddle and scans the field, he’ll have an ultra-diverse group of options. Stroud can throw downfield to Collins, his go-to wide receiver last season, along with newly-acquired four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs, Tank Dell, Dalton Schultz as well as Joe Mixon out of the backfield.

“Oh yeah, it’s going to be dangerous, real dangerous, man,” Collins said during his youth football camp at Houston Christian High School. “Adding Diggs to the room, it’s going to be a lot of weapons. There’s going to be great opportunities for everybody. It’s only adding more depth, more weapons to the offense, more weapons to the team. The sky is the limit for us. Can’t wait until the season is going to start.

“Man, it’s nice. I feel like the offense is a lot of weapons. Everybody has got a chance. When the ball is in their hands, an explosive play is coming. I feel like, for us, we need to continue to work on the details, continue to be us, continue to have fun and show the world what we can do. I can’t wait for it.”

Having Diggs as part of the offense injects a proven threat to an offense that was already loaded even before he was added in a trade from the Buffalo Bills.

Collins played with Diggs in J.J. Watt’s charity softball game and they’re already building chemistry.

“He’s cool,” Collins said. “I met him for the first time when he came in and signed and stuff, but cool peoples. Can’t wait to get on the field with him and share the field with him. It’s a blessing to share the room with him. I can’t wait to join him and get back in this offense and show the world what we’re about.”

“Man, it’s nice, it’s nice I feel like the offense is a lot of weapons. Everybody has got a chance when the ball is in their hands, an explosive play is coming. I feel like for us we need to continue to work on the details, continue to be us, continue to have fun and show the world what we can do. I can’t wait for it.

Collins separated routinely from pass coverage, accelerating behind cornerbacks for touchdown catches during best season.

Wide receiver salaries are skyrocketing, especially for ones with rare traits like Collins.

Collins has run the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds.

And he’s coming off a career breakthrough season during which he caught 80 passes for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns in 15 regular season games. In two playoff games, Collins caught 11 passes for 164 yards and one touchdown with nine first downs on 17 targets.

Collins provided a strong downfield presence for a resurgent Texans team led by quarterback C.J. Stroud and coach DeMeco Ryans as they went from 3-13-1 a year ago to 11-8 overall and winning the AFC South division title.

What’s next?

“Oh yeah, that’s the only way is up,” Collins said. “Can’t go down, can’t backtrack. Got to elevate. That’s my mindset right now.”

“Man, it was amazing, a blessed season,” Collins said. “I did miss a couple of games, but made it out healthy. l did well for the team. I stayed healthy. I balled out. It was a long season, but a fun season. A lot of memories, I’m excited to get back to work and pick up where we left off. Great guys in the locker room, it’s going to be an exciting year.“

“Time to reload and pick up where we left off. It’s definitely a blessing, a great team to be around. I think it’s time. Can’t wait to get everybody back. I feel like we’re on a mission. It’s real. It really is. We can’t wait to be back where we left off. It wasn’t how we wanted to finish. I feel like we’re all locked in, bought in and we want to prove everybody wrong again.”

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was convinced, immediately, on sight, about Collins.

It took only a few moments for the Texans’ quarterback to understand the vast talents and attributes of Collins, one of the largest wide receivers in the NFL.

Size. Speed. Strength. Toughness. Hands. Route-running skills. Ability to run after the catch.

Collins has every requisite trait to excel at one of the most difficult positions in the NFL.

And the season Collins manufactured didn’t come as a surprise to Stroud, the strong-armed NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

“I think he just stamped who he is,” Stroud said. “I told him our first time ever working out together. I said, you’re a superstar. I never even snapped the ball in the league, but I just know good receivers. I played where we have tremendous receivers.

“I told him, my goal is to make you look as best as you can, to make you look like you. I appreciate him just being just a consistent, great friend to me, somebody who I can just let my hair down with, and I think our chemistry shows on the field. Our friendship shows on the field. I’m super proud of that dude, man. It’s just the beginning for him.”

The chemistry between Stroud and was on point all season. There was no greater example than how they dismantled the Indianapolis Colts’ overwhelmed secondary during a 23-19 victory that clinched the Texans’ ticket to the postseason.

Collins caught nine passes for a career-high 195 yards on nine targets against the Colts despite commanding a lot of attention from the defense due to the absence of injured wide receivers Robert Woods and Noah Brown.

Collins scorched Colts rookie corner JuJu Brents on a 75-yard bomb for a touchdown on the Texans’ first play from scrimmage. The football traveled 59.2 air yards, according to NextGen Stats, for the longest of Stroud and Collins’ careers.

After such a successful season, Collins is looking forward to even more production this year and a different energy at NRG Stadium after a dramatic turnaround last year.

“We’re ready, guys are locked in,” Collins said. “They really can’t wait to be back and enjoy this. It’s a different juice, a different momentum and we’re ready to pick up where we left off.

“It’s amazing to see how every single week, how it changes. The fans bought in. They really brought the juice. New coaching this year, it was a learning year and getting used to each other, a building year. Next year is going to be even better. I can be even more involved. I can’t wait.”

The plan for the offseason is similar to last year as Collins upgraded his durability significantly after being limited to a combined 24 games and 15 starts in his first two NFL seasons due to a variety of nagging injuries.

He’s going to continue to go to hot yoga and concentrate on other body work, including his work on flexibility, injury prevention and core performance with Houston-based Tan Nguyen of Revolve Physical Therapy.

“Oh yeah, I’m going to stick to the script,” Collins said. “I’m not going to change what worked for me. I’m going to continue to capitalize on it and feel good coming into Sundays by doing the extra work on my body. I’m not going to change it up. It worked out.”

As for the team goals, Collins isn’t placing any ceiling on how far the Texans can go. They’re chasing a Super Bowl.

“Most definitely,” Collins said. “I feel like the sky is the limit for everybody. Let the game come to us and play for each other. It’s going to be a fun year.”

For Collins, it was a series of stellar performances.

He became the third wide receiver in franchise history to surpass 1,200 receiving yards, joining Andre Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins.

Although Collins has surpassed his combined production during his first two seasons since being drafted in the third round out of Michigan as the second draft pick in Caserio’s first year running the Texans’ personnel department, his quantum leap as an all-around wide receiver didn’t surprise coach DeMeco Ryans.

“I’ve constantly talked about Nico and the plays he’s made, and that hasn’t changed,” Ryans said. “I know I keep saying that and everybody is probably looking at me like, ‘Oh, you guys don’t have receivers.’ His mindset hasn’t changed.

“He’s been the same guy. He’s a big-time playmaker for us, and he shows up every single day. He hasn’t changed who he is. He still shows up in a humble manner. He shows up and he works hard every day at practice, and that’s why he continues to get better. He continues to show up in the games.

Collins caught 70 passes for 927 yards and three touchdowns in his first two dozen games after joining the Texans.

A lack of durability was the biggest thing holding back the Birmingham, Alabama native.

So, he worked on his body and his mental approach to the game.

Although Collins isn’t outspoken at all, his presence was clearly felt. Greatly. Just ask the cornerbacks who can’t match Collins’ speed or how he trucks them after catching the football.

“I would say just his tenacity,” Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said. “He didn’t really talk much, but his mentality like when he lined up, you can tell he really wanted to get off the ball. He really put his foot in the ground, and he declared where he was going.

“When he was jumping to catch a fade or something, he was grabbing with two hands, aggressively putting it away. All the attention to detail, like the little things that a lot of people probably don’t notice that he does on a day-to-day basis in his routes. We got to play in OTAs, got to start doing like 7-on-7 and he was a lot faster than I thought.”

Collins led the Texans with 109 targets and 53 first downs. He averaged 16.2 yards per catch.

He has drawn comparisons to former Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones.

“Obviously, he’s been a stud,” Slowik said. “He’s been at wide receiver one, he’s went out and performed. Anytime he has a one-on-one he’s taken advantage of the opportunity. He’s affected the game as a downfield threat, as an intermediate threat, and then, really even as a catch-and-run guy.

“He’s taken such great strides just from where he was the last couple of years watching him on tape. It’s been really fun to watch and be a part of and it changes our team. You can see it spread across the whole offense in the culture of what we’re doing. Nico is an unbelievable individual. He’s far exceeded anything that I think any of us could have imagined.”

Collins thoroughly enjoyed holding his football camp, interacting with youngsters at a camp attended by his parents, brother, girlfriend, trainer and friends.

“I just want to come out here and have fun with kids,” Collins said. “I want to come out here so they can have fun. It’s for them to enjoy the moment and get out and run around and do some drills. I’m excited for them. It’s a blessing for sure.”

Aaron Wilson is a contributor to Sports Talk 790.