5:48pm: The deal includes $10.8MM in guaranteed money with a $5.25MM signing bonus, McClain tweets.
5;36pm: The Texans and outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus have agreed to a four-year extension, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Mercilus was eligible for a fifth-year option this year and it’s now apparent that Houston declined the option in order to work out a longer pact.
It’s a four-year, $26MM deal, according to Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The deal will keep the linebacker in a Texans jersey through the 2019 season. Mercilus, 25 in July, has played in all but one of the Texans’ regular season games across the last three seasons. Playing primarily as a starter for the last two, Mercilus has racked up a combined 12 sacks, 97 tackles, and two forced fumbles.
The Texans obviously are happy with Mercilus, but the advanced metrics aren’t so wild about him. In 2014, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him as just the 35th best outside linebacker in a 3-4 set out of 46 qualified players. In 2013, his overall rating of -18.1 put him dead last (42nd out of 42) amongst 3-4 OLBs.
As Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter) notes, the Texans have also locked up former draft picks Kareem Jackson and Derek Newton this offseason.