Where does Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins rank among the highest-paid receivers?

Tuesday afternoon marked a monumental day for star wide receiver Nico Collins and the Houston Texans. According to reports, Collins agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $72.7 million, with $52.0 million guaranteed.

With an annual salary of $24.0 million, Collins’ new deal will have him projected as the league’s seventh-highest paid player at the start of 2025.

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He follows AJ Brown ($32.0 million), Amon-Ra St. Brown ($30.02 million), Tyreek Hill ($30.0 million), Davante Adams ($28.0 million), Cooper Kupp ($26.7 million) and DeVonta Smith ($25.0 million).

Collins’ rankings will likely change, given that Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals, Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings and CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys are next in line for a massive salary. However, Collins’ deal demonstrates that the Texans view their former third-round pick as one of the most important players in the league.

“I’m not going to say that no one is better than me – I have that confidence,” Collins said on the Airing It Out podcast in February. “My mindset is to go play ball. I still have a lot to prove.”

The extension follows Collins’ breakout season in 2023. He appeared in 15 games and had 1,297 yards on 80 catches and eight touchdowns to help the Texans finish the year with a 10-7 record while qualifying for the divisional round of the playoffs.

He became the fourth player in franchise history to reach over 1,000 yards, joining Andre Johnson, DeAndre Hopkins and Brandon Cooks. Collins also became the first prospect drafted by general manager Nick Caserio to receive an extension.

As Houston’s leading receiver in the passing attack, Collins had five games in which he scored 100 yards or more. His career-best performance came in the Texans’ Week 18 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, where he finished with nine catches for 195 yards and a touchdown.

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Follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24.