Since the Texans returned from the NFL Scouting Combine last week, if there’s one thing we’ve learned so far, it’s that the team is really focused on bringing back some of their seasoned free agents who will be hitting the open market the following week. Tight end Dalton Schultz re-signed a three-year, $36 million contract with the Texans on Tuesday.
As originally reported by D.J. Bien Aime of ESPN.com, kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn signed a three-year, $15.9 million contract on Wednesday, committing to return to the organisation in 2024 and beyond.
Fairbairn is getting paid like one of the best, because he’s been one of the best
The $5.3 million annual salary puts Fairbairn fourth on the list of kickers in the NFL, with Justin Tucker of Baltimore l leading the way at $6 million per year. The money for Fairbairn is well deserved. He converted 27 of 28 field goal attempts in 2023. Fairbairn missed five games with a quad injury, but returned strong, and went 9 for 9 to close out the regular season. He went 2 for 3 in the playoffs.
Fairbairn’s career field goal percentage of 87.1 percent ranks third among all kickers with at least 100 games played since 2017, and his 94.9 percent field goal conversation rate since 2020 ranks first among kickers who’ve played in at least 25 games. On kickoffs, he is a practically automatic touchback kicker. In short, Fairbairn has been excellent.
Fairbairn’s injury in 2023 may have actually helped him get this deal done
If there is one concern, though, it would be injuries. In the last three seasons, Fairbairn has missed nine games — four in 2021, and five in 2023. Ironically, though, Fairbairn’s missing games in 2023 may have actually helped the case to pay him, as the experience of trotting replacement kicker Matt Ammendola out there for each kick was a harrowing adventure. Absence certainly made the heart grow fonder of Fairbairn, and I would say the same thing about punter Cam Johnston, also a free agent, and how it felt trotting Ty Zentner out there for four games to start the 2023 season, while Johnston convalesced from a leg injury.
Special teams is clearly a priority for the Texans
While $5.3 million for a kicker may sound pricy, it does line up with the way the Texans prioritize special teams. They were among the highest spenders in the NFL on specialists in 2023, and if they re-sign Johnston, they likely shoot to the top of the list. The results, though, have been worth it, as Fairbairn and Johnston have been key contributors to some of the best special teams units in the league over the last few seasons. Spending in areas like the kicking game will likely always be a thing under GM Nick Caserio.
The strategy is simple — we trust the ones we know
DeMeco Ryans said it at the combine last week — the Texans place a heavy value on knowing players as people, knowing how they react to adversity, and knowing how they fit in the team’s locker room. As a result, they will attempt to bring back as many better players as they can. The re-signing of Fairbairn clings with this strategy. The question now is “Who’s next?”
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