The Houston Texans continued their offseason with a successful rookie minicamp over the week, leaving the fanbase excited about the franchise's future. Even though the annual rookie event is over, the football action will resume in just a few weeks when the Texans begin their 2025 organized team activities (OTAs) on Wednesday, May 28.
OTAs are nearly here, but that doesn't mean the Texans can't add a last-minute name or two in the coming weeks. After all, general manager Nick Casero has some extra cap space on his hands after Houston's latest behind-the-scenes roster transaction.
Texans Restructure Ka'imi Fairbairn's Contract Before OTAs Begin
According to Texans Cap, the Texans have restructured kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn's contract right before OTAs begin. Houston has reportedly converted the veteran special teamer's $3.475 million base salary into a signing bonus, freeing up $2.78 million in cap space in the process.
Per source: Houston Texans and Ka'imi Fairbairn agree to a restructured contract, creating $2.78 million in cap savings for 2025.
— TexansCap (@TexansCap) May 12, 2025
Fairbairn's contract restructure comes just over a year after he inked a three-year, $15.9 million extension with the Texans. Even though his contract will look different going forward, including three void years, his deal will still expire at the end of the 2027 campaign.
Fairbairn, 31, is currently the longest-serving Texans player after long-time long snapper Jon Weeks joined the San Francisco 49ers in free agency.
The former UCLA Bruin has been with Houston since he joined the franchise as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He's since become the franchise's all-time leader in field goals made (211), and his 240 extra points only trail Kris Brown (251) — a record Fairbairn will likely break in 2025.
As beloved as he is in H-Town, Fairbairn is in dire need of a bounce-back performance next season. Although the Kailua, HI native went a reliable 34-of-36 (94.4%) on extra-point attempts in 2024, his 85.7 FG% (36-of-42) was his second-worst success rate of the last five seasons, and a noticeable decline from his 96.4 FG% in 2023.
Strong special teams units produce results in the NFL, and the Texans need Fairbairn to get back on track to have that level of success. Fortunately, the franchise's outlook looks promising before OTAs, as the Texans are currently FanDuel Sportsbook's +115 favorite to win a third consecutive AFC South title in 2025.
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