Source: Texans restructure Azeez Al-Shaair’s three-year, $34 million deal, creating $6.26 million in salary cap space

HOUSTON – The Texans have restructured the contract of veteran linebacker and team captain Azeez Al-Shaair, lowering his salary-cap figure by $6.26 million, per a league source.

Al-Shaair signed a three-year, $34 million deal last year that included an $11 million signing bonus and $21.5 million in total guarantees.

His scheduled $9 million base salary for 2025 was lowered to create additional financial flexibility for free agent spending for the defending AFC South champions.

He’s due up to $500,000 in per-game active roster bonuses this year.

He’s due an $11 million base salary in 2026 that’s not guaranteed.

He has automatically voidable years in 2027 and 2028 of $15 million annually.

Al-Shaair, 27, is a former undrafted free agent who played for Texans coach DeMeco Ryans with the San Francisco 49ers.

He joined the Texans last year in free agency after one season with the Tennessee Titans.

Al-Shaair recorded 70 tackles, seven for losses, seven quarterback hits, two sacks and a career-high two forced fumbles last season in 11 games, missing time with a knee injury and a four-game NFL suspension for a concussion-causing hit on late-sliding Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. His appeal of the suspension was unsuccessful with appeals officer Ramon Foster upholding NFL disciplinary officer Jon Runyan’s original suspension.

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.

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