The Houston Texans are fortifying their roster by re-signing key players to leverage their enhanced financial flexibility. The team emerges as a significant player in the free-agent market with the advantage of an extended salary cap.
With eyes set on quarterback CJ Stroud, the team’s focus is on building a formidable squad around their signal-caller for a shot at playoff success. They have already re-signed tight end Dalton Schultz, who has been a betting favorite player last season. The team has now also secured kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn to a new contract.
Texans re-sign Ka’imi Fairbairn to $15.9 million contract
The Texans have secured their kicking game for the foreseeable future by re-signing Ka’imi Fairbairn to a lucrative three-year contract worth $15.9 million, per NBC Sports. This move comes as a relief to Texans fans who feared losing him to free agency.
The veteran’s consistency and growth as a kicker have been instrumental in the team’s decision to retain him. Special Teams Coordinator Frank Ross praised the footballer’s development by highlighting his maturity and confidence on the field.
“I think he’s always been the same kicker; he’s grown, he’s matured and I’m very happy with where he’s at… He’s done a great job of mastering that and I’m hoping it continues the way it is, but that smooth approach and just being a veteran now, his confidence is doing him wonders, so really happy with where he’s at and it’s going to pay off for us in the long run,” Ross said.
The new contract marks a significant development for Fairbairn, whose previous four-year, $17.65 million deal had expired. He ranked ninth last year in the NFL with an average salary of $4.41 million.
With the latest agreement, the Texans star now boasts an average salary of $5.3 million annually, ranking the third-highest average annual salary among NFL kickers. He now sits behind only Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens and Matt Gay of the Indianapolis Colts in terms of average annual salary.
What was Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 2023 campaign like?
Ka’imi Fairbairn’s accuracy throughout the 2023 season was unparalleled as he converted 27 of 28 field goal attempts, with his lone miss occurring beyond the 50-yard mark. He successfully executed 21 out of 22 extra point attempts. His impressive 96.4% kicking percentage in 2023 stands as the pinnacle of his seven-year career.
The footballer’s kickoff proficiency was also noteworthy, with 63.8% of his kickoffs resulting in touchbacks. It marked the second-highest rate in his career. Despite his exceptional track record, the Texans star’s rare missed extra point against the Indianapolis Colts served as a reminder of the unpredictability inherent in the game, marking his first miscue since the 2021 season.
However, Ka’imi Fairbairn now boasts an impressive 87.1% field goal conversion rate and an exceptional 92.4% success rate on extra points across 106 games played for the Texans. He has secured an 80.0% or higher field goal conversion rate in seven of his eight seasons in the league.
