In the NFL, the salary cap is often described as a “hard cap with a bit of flexibility.” Teams with deep-pocketed owners can manipulate contracts to ease short-term salary cap burdens by pushing financial hits into later years.

While this concept might sound complex, think of it as an NFL version of a credit card allowing teams to structure massive contracts in a way that makes them more manageable.

This financial strategy is becoming particularly relevant for the Houston Texans. As they build around their talented young core, they’ll need to pay top dollar to retain key players.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud is a no-brainer for a major payday, but other stars like cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and defensive end Will Anderson Jr. could also command record-breaking deals at their positions.

The Defensive End Market is Exploding

This offseason, the defensive end position has taken center stage in contract negotiations. Just a few years ago, wide receivers saw their market skyrocket, and before that, it was quarterbacks. Now, in 2025, it’s pass rushers who are cashing in.

The trend started when Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby signed a new deal worth $35.5 million per year, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

It was a massive leap, and many assumed that record would hold for a while at the very least, any new deals would only slightly surpass it.

But then came the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns Shake Up the Market Again

If there’s one thing the Browns have proven, it’s that they aren’t afraid to disrupt the market.

Fans will remember how they shattered the total guaranteed money record by $80 million to land Deshaun Watson, a move widely criticized across the league. Now, they’ve pulled off another eyebrow-raising deal.

Their franchise cornerstone, Myles Garrett, had reportedly been seeking a trade amid internal turmoil after a dismal 3-14 season.

The Browns, determined to keep him, refused to entertain trade talks and instead responded with an enormous contract extension not just surpassing Crosby’s deal, but obliterating it by an additional $4.5 million per year.

What This Means for the Texans

Garrett’s deal has now set a new benchmark for elite pass rushers, which will undoubtedly impact the Texans when it comes time to negotiate with Will Anderson Jr.. If Anderson continues to develop into one of the league’s top edge rushers, Houston will likely have to pay him at least what Garrett is making if not more as the market continues to inflate.

Simply put, the price of keeping elite talent is skyrocketing. The Texans, like every other team, will need to decide how far they’re willing to go to secure their future stars.

Once again, the Cleveland Browns have managed to completely distort the market, forcing player salaries to skyrocket much faster than the rest of the league would prefer.

If we look back to the Deshaun Watson contract fiasco, every other team (and even most agents) essentially agreed to ignore Cleveland’s reckless spending, treating it as an outlier rather than a new standard.

The market corrected itself for quarterbacks after that debacle, leaving Watson stranded on a mountain of guaranteed money with a franchise in perpetual turmoil.

But now, thanks to Myles Garrett’s record-breaking deal, pass rushers are in line for an unexpected payday one that will directly impact the Houston Texans.

With players like Trey Hendrickson, Micah Parsons, Aidan Hutchinson, and Houston’s own Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. approaching new contracts, the ripple effect of Garrett’s extension is about to hit hard.

Hunter is entering the final season of a two-year, $48 million deal he signed last spring. At 30 years old, he remains highly productive, racking up 12 sacks in 2024 and consistently averaging 11 sacks per season throughout his career (excluding his injury-related absence in 2020).

Last season, he also recorded 72 pressures, proving he’s still among the best in the league at disrupting the pocket.

The Texans likely want to keep Hunter around, potentially even extending him early to free up short-term cap space. However, given Garrett’s new deal, Hunter would be wise to wait.

If he delivers another strong season, he could easily land a short-term free-agent contract in the $30-35 million per year range a huge jump from his current deal.

For Anderson, Garrett’s contract is a financial game-changer. Unlike Hunter, who is on the back half of his career, Anderson is just getting started.

The real players to watch in the pass rusher market are Micah Parsons and Aidan Hutchinson, both of whom are still on their rookie deals.

Parsons has been eligible for an extension for over a year, Hutchinson will be soon, and Anderson is just one year away from his first massive payday.

If Anderson continues his upward trajectory in 2025 possibly elevating into Defensive Player of the Year conversations it’s almost certain that he will enter the $40 million per year club. And given how vital he is to the Texans’ defense, Houston would have no problem making him one of the league’s highest-paid defenders.

He was drafted as the franchise’s defensive cornerstone, just as C.J. Stroud was for the offense, and the Texans will pay whatever it takes to keep him.

Why Did the Browns and Garrett Ultimately Stay Together?

The simple answer? The Browns don’t have much else to celebrate.

Since the franchise rebooted in 1999, their only true all-time greats have been Joe Thomas and Myles Garrett. Like Thomas, the Browns want Garrett to spend his entire career in Cleveland, so they overpaid to ensure he stays.

And, just like Thomas, Garrett will eventually find himself in Canton one of the rare bright spots in an otherwise dismal history.

The Texans may not be the Chiefs, but at least they’ve won division titles and playoff games. The Browns? They remain an unmitigated disaster, clinging to their few elite players in a sea of dysfunction.

Justin Brazeau had a hectic travel day but made it to Vancouver just in time for his Wild debut.

The 27-year-old winger, who was traded from Boston on Thursday night, flew from Raleigh to Denver, endured a two-hour layover, and finally joined his new team in western Canada on Friday afternoon. He suited up for Minnesota’s 3-1 loss, capping off a whirlwind 24 hours.

“Ate a little bit,” he said. “Threw my suitcase down and came to the rink.”

Brazeau’s journey also took him from a non-playoff team to one very much in contention, the winger part of a Boston exodus that reinforced the Wild’s push with the size and strength they’d been lacking.

“A bit of a crazy day,” Brazeau said after he made his team debut in the 3-1 loss to the Canucks. “Obviously, a lot of emotions. Kind of haven’t really gone through anything like this before, and obviously a little bit of longer day with the travel from Raleigh.

“But the guys are great, welcoming me in when I got here and making me feel really comfortable, so it was good.”

The Wild acquired Justin Brazeau, 27, from the Bruins on Thursday night in exchange for forwards Jakub Lauko, Marat Khusnutdinov, and a 2026 sixth-round pick (originally from Boston).

Brazeau admitted he “had a feeling something might be coming,” and he wasn’t the only player on the move. With the Bruins slipping behind in the Eastern Conference playoff race, they shook up their roster sending captain Brad Marchand to Florida, former Wild forward Charlie Coyle to Colorado, and defenseman Brandon Carlo to Toronto.

“Obviously good friends that I got to know last year a bit,” Brazeau said. “So, just one of those days where if you don’t you don’t perform at the beginning of the year, something like this happens.”

Brazeau, an undrafted free agent, spent parts of five seasons in the AHL and ECHL before finally making his NHL debut last year—a game against Dallas where he marked the occasion with a goal.

He later suited up for nine playoff games with Boston, scoring his first career playoff goal in Game 1 of the second round, capping off the Bruins’ 5-1 victory over the Panthers.

“It helps to have something to kind of fall back on,” said Brazeau, who has 10 goals and 10 assists this season, “and know that if you play the right way and I play my game, I’ll be fine.”

Before that, Brazeau has a chance to make an impact with the Wild by using his 6-foot-6, 227-pound frame to protect the puck in the offensive zone and create a strong net-front presence.

That physical style was on full display in the Wild’s road trip finale against Vancouver, where they outshot the Canucks 38-19, but couldn’t quite convert their pressure into goals.

Fortunately, their new-look lineup won’t have to wait long for another opportunity to break through.

Back in Minnesota, the Wild will kick off a season-long seven-game homestand on Sunday afternoon against Pittsburgh an opportunity to keep fighting for playoff positioning and for Brazeau to settle in with his new team.

“I’m excited,” he said. “It’s a good team in here. I think we can make some noise in the playoffs, so we’ve just gotta make sure we’re playing the right way when we get in there so that we’re ready to go.”

With the NHL trade deadline fast approaching, Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton is well aware that his time with the team might be running out.

The 30-year-old center has been the subject of increasing speculation, and with teams making their final moves, his name is now firmly in the mix.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Toronto Maple Leafs could be shifting their focus toward acquiring Laughton after reconsidering their pursuit of Brayden Schenn. “The Maple Leafs aren’t sure they want to go where St. Louis wishes for Brayden Schenn,” Friedman reported on Friday. “(It’s) possible they pivot back to Scott Laughton.”

That report aligns with TSN’s Darren Dreger, who stated earlier in the week that Laughton would “jump at the chance” to join the Maple Leafs.

Laughton Aware of the Trade Speculation

Speaking to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz, Laughton acknowledged that he’s thought about the possibility of being moved. “It’s definitely popped into my head,” he admitted. “I think I know where I’m at, and I think I know where they stand on it. We’re pretty comfortable with the situation.”

The Flyers aren’t backing down from their asking price, which is believed to be either a first-round pick or a top prospect, such as Toronto’s Fraser Minten.

“There is a strong possibility, perhaps even a likelihood, that a contending team could meet the Flyers’ asking price, believed to be at least a first-round pick or a prospect they view as the equivalent of a first-round pick,” Kurz reported.

However, NHL insider Frank Seravalli revealed that the Maple Leafs have already turned down a one-for-one trade that would have sent Minten to Philadelphia in exchange for Laughton.

A Different Feeling This Time Around

Laughton, who has recorded 11 goals and 27 points in 59 games this season, has been involved in trade rumors before. However, this year feels different.

“It’s a different feeling, for sure,” Laughton said. “With all the rumors and stuff, I think it feels maybe a little bit more real this year.”

As the deadline nears, all eyes are on whether Toronto or another contender will meet Philadelphia’s asking price. While nothing is set in stone, it’s clear that Laughton’s future remains one of the most intriguing storylines to watch as the trade window closes.