BREAKING: Brian Cushing Signs 6-Year Extension With The Texans

The Texans have strict rules regarding extensions during the season. NONE. No contract extensions talks allowed during the season. Rick Smith wanted Cushing signed and locked up before the season and he completed that today. To free up room for Cushing, the Texans restructured Andre Johnson‘s contract.

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Cushing is just 26 years old and is just entering the prime of his career. He’s coming off a torn ACL from week 5 of the 2012 season, but all experts believe he is 100% (or very close to it). In his 4-year career, Cushing has 363 total tackles, 10.5 sacks, 7 interceptions, and 21 pass deflections in just 49 games (numbers according to Rotoworld.com). Cushing was the 2009 Defensive Player of the Year and went to the ProBowl in 2009. When Cushing went down in 2012, it was clear he took the rest of the defense with him. He’s the heart and soul of the defense and the Texans need a healthy Cushing to be successful.

Albert Breer of NFL.com was the first reporter to come out with Cushing’s numbers, and John McClain of the Houston Chronicle just came out with updated numbers:

Those numbers come out to about $9.26 million per year through 2019. Only Matt Schaub, Johnathan Joseph, and Andre Johnson make more money on a yearly basis than Cushing. Duane Brown also makes more guaranteed money than Cushing at $22 million.

To help fit Cushing’s contract within the salary cap, the Texans restructed Andre Johnson’s contract. Here’s how;

To dumb that down, the Texans will still pay Johnson the $10.5 million he is due, but he will receive it a different way. It looks like the Texans took full advantage of Johnson’s willingness to restructure his own contract for the betterment of the team.

You could look at this deal two ways. Person A may have wanted to see how Cushing was going to come off of his torn ACL. He would have wanted to see Cushing be the same monster he was the first four weeks of the 2012 season. Person B would say to sign him. Sign him right now before he becomes a beast this season and wants more $ (rightfully so) in the offseason.

I’m a combo of the two. I obviously want Cushing as cheap as possible and I’m not 100% sure he will perform the same way. I do think at the end he will be the same player, but there is always that risk in the back of my mind. I still think this deal was very good value for a ILB that is one of the best in the game at full strength. Just $21 million guaranteed is a smart move by GM Rick Smith. Cushing should be able to play at a high level throughout the whole contract. The Texans came away looking good as did Cushing. Cushing wanted to remain a Texan and really loves this city:

Time will tell if it was the right move but it is currently looking like a great one.