The Texans have agreed to a one-year extension with cornerback/return man Tremon Smith, according to Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790. The deal, which keeps Smith under club control through 2022, includes a $1.1MM base salary. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds that Smith also gets a $150K signing bonus, a $50K workout bonus, and a $100K roster bonus, thereby raising the value to $1.4MM. If he hits certain incentives, Smith could max out at $1.6MM (Twitter link).
Smith has averaged 26.0 on kickoff returns this year while appearing on ~80% of the Texans’ special teams plays. He’s also seen a little bit of time on defense, appearing on 14% of the team’s snaps. He might not be a star, but he’s a key cog in the third facet of the game. The Texans clearly value his work – Smith is the first Texans player to score an extension since the start of the 2021 season.
After stops with the Chiefs, Colts, Packers, and Eagles, Smith seems to have found a home in Houston. It also helps that he’s playing under the tutelage of Frank Ross, who was also his special teams coordinator in Indianapolis.
Ross and Smith will see their former team tomorrow as the Texans look to improve on their 2-9 record.