Nico Collins' Comments Should Comfort Texans Fans Amid Contract Talks

The Houston Texans' wide receiver room has been headlined by number one target Nico Collins for the past three years now, as the 2021 third-rounder has developed into one of the league's most effective outside receivers and a favorite of C.J. Stroud's in the passing game.

But as the 2028 offseason approaches, the Texans will be faced with an interesting situation as it relates to Collins' contract.

Collins is currently signed under contract with the Texans for the next two years at $20 million guaranteed in 2026, and a little over $21 million non-guaranteed for the season after. He'll be due for a lucrative contract extension to give him a bump in pay after exceeding the value of his current deal.

Houston's spent a ton of money on extending their internal talent this offseason as is, but as an integral part of this offense for now and the foreseeable future, it seems more likely than not for the Texans to hit the negotiation table with him either this offseason or next.

Nico Collins Says He Wants to Retire With Texans

Whenver the time does come for the Texans to start negotiating a new deal with Collins, though, it seems as if he's more than willing to stay in Houston for as long as his career allows.

Collins recently spoke about his Texans future with KPRC2's Aaron Wilson during his annual youth football camp, making it abundantly clear how he feels about the organization and the city of Houston.

“I love the Texans,” Collins said. “I got drafted here. It’s somewhere I want to end. I love the city, the people, the community. There’s a lot of great positive vibes coming out of the city of Houston. So, it’s definitely a place I would like to retire.”

Dec 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) warms up before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Of course, the Texans will have to cement Collins' future by officially putting pen to paper on that next extension, which could easily creep close to $40 million a season, compared to the going market rate for elite receivers like Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson.

But for as long as the Texans are able to hang onto their star wideout at his current level, he's sure to make this offense look a whole lot better than it would be without him.

Last season with the Texans, he logged a total of 68 receptions, 1,117 yards, and six touchdowns en route to being the team's clear leader in both receptions and yards, while tying atop the leaderboard for touchdowns with rookie Jayden Higgins.

Things might've not ended as ideally as expected in an ugly divisional round loss to the New England Patriots. Especially for Collins, who was forced out for the game due to a concussion that left C.J. Stroud and this overall offensive attack a bit disoriented than usual.

Now, Collins has another offseason to fully prepare for the campaign ahead; one in which he has some pretty high hopes for, when factoring in a productive draft and free agency from the past couple of months.

“The excitement is great, man,” said Collins. “I feel like we had a great draft. Getting back in that mode, I feel like the energy is great and we’ve got to continue to go in our mission because ahead is our Super Bowl. So, it starts right now, though.”

With a new-and-improved offense, the door is open for Collins to have yet another 1,000-yard campaign as he now seems to put together on an annual basis, and will be key in helping push this offense forward for their aspired jump from 2025.

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