HOUSTON – When Texans general manager Nick Caserio and agent Chris Cabott negotiated a fully guaranteed, $11,700,824 deal for rookie wide receiver Jayden Higgins, they set an NFL negotiating milestone.
Higgins signed the first fully guaranteed second-round contract in league history. Because of the rise in Higgins’ deal to 100 percent guarantees for skill, injury and salary cap one year after Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey received a 91.9 percent guaranteed deal at the 34th overall slot of the draft, the contract caused a ripple effect across the NFL.
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The deal slowed the pace of contract talks in the second round with 30 of 32 unsigned until close to reporting dates for camp. Now, every second-round pick has agreed to terms except for Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins and that is because of his domestic violence arrest.
Higgins’ contract, which includes a $5.149 million signing bonus, caused some preoccupation with Caserio’s negotiating style with multiple news reports and some criticism on social media. Some NFL general managers privately weren’t thrilled about Caserio setting a precedent on a rookie deal, as he did in the fourth round previously with Texans running back Dameon Pierce.
Caserio downplayed the supposed controversy. What he didn’t say is obvious, though: Caserio works for the Texans and is competing with the other NFL teams, not collaborating with them. Unsaid: the negotiating flexibility Caserio displayed on Higgins deal and other contracts, including Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins’ three-year, $75 million extension that is a relative bargain and a three-year, $90 million extension for All-Pro corner Derek Stingley Jr., makes him popular in the agent community. That could be advantageous to the Texans in free agency.
“It’s really much ado about nothing,” Caserio said Wednesday as the Texans opened training camp. “It was kind of fabricated story. Let’s take a step back. Again, when you’re reading about this in the Wall Street Journal you know everybody has too much time on their hands. But just philosophically, when you look at, say, contracts in the second round specifically. So when you look at the top of the second-round last year, I want to say like those contracts were 92, 93 percent fully guaranteed. Let’s just fast forward, adjust for inflation, probably going to be some marginal increase. Let’s say the number is three to five percent, right? So that small margin that’s left, it’s a difference of, it’s not that much.
“You’re all smart. You can do the math. Again, we’re trying to get ahead and stay ahead on trends. Eventually, probably going to get there anyway, so we just felt like that was the right thing for us to do. I think what happened after that honestly, was a nonstory that was made into a story, but everything kind of worked itself out. I think all of us in the league, myself included, have anticipated at some point, probably the first four, five you’re going to end up at that spot anyway, so why wait around? Why bicker back and forth? Get to a resolution. I think people that know me and negotiate with me, I’m a bottom-line guy. Let’s get to the bottom line. Let’s not hem and haw.”
'Much ado about nothing. Staying ahead of trends' #Texans GM Nick Caserio explanation of setting negotiating precedent with second round pick Jayden Higgins as first player in #NFL history in that round to sign fully guaranteed deal @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/rjvRIY5can
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) July 23, 2025
The Texans got their entire draft class done before players reported to training camp Tuesday.
Second-round offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery agreed Saturday to a four-year, $9.211 million deal that is 80 percent guaranteed, an increase from last year’s 71.13 percent. His deal is 100 percent guaranteed in the first three years with $253,840 guaranteed in 2028. The deal has a $3.339 million signing bonus.
If we think we’re all comfortable, we’ll move forward," Caserio said. “It didn’t really impact Ersery, which it was part of the second round. That was more some other factors that led to the stall there. So, always going to handle business however we see fit. Try to do it logically, be pragmatic, and do it in a responsible way.
“Again, the offseason, there is not a lot of things to talk about. When I start reading about it in the Wall Street Journal, it is a nothing deal.”
Caserio signed a six-year contract in 2021 that averages $5.5 million annually as a base value with the potential to earn $6 million per year.
The Texans are happy with the job he’s doing. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they eventually sign him and coach DeMeco Ryans to long-term contract extensions.
Caserio said there is no change in his status.
“Yeah, I don’t think there is anything new to report on my end,” Caserio said. “Again, I’ve never talked about anything that I’ve done privately, so. I love being here. I’ve got a great opportunity, great support from ownership, phenomenal head coach, great working relationship with him. Just thankful for the opportunity that I have. Nothing is new.
“I don’t have anything to report on my end. I’m just here to take it one day at a time and try to do the best I can for the organization, ownership, for the players, and for the coaches. As long as they have me here, I’ll stay. When they want to kick me to the curb I will go find and do something else. Love being here and grateful for the opportunity I have each day.”
Higgins is an imposing downfield target at 6-foot-4, 214 pounds who has the ability to win contested catches and has drawn comparisons to Texans Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins, who has similar stature and is roughly eight pounds heavier than his new teammate.
“Just a big target, I know a lot of people say very similar to Nico and what he’s able to do,” Caserio said. “But you get a receiver of his stature and with his catch radius, just opens up a lot of things for us offensively that I know all of our guys are excited about.”
With his size, the Miami, Fla., native has a major advantage with his superior catch radius.
“He’s one of the best I’ve been around, and that’s where you gotta have a little bit of confidence to you,” Iowa State receivers coach and passing game coordinator Noah Pauley told KPRC 2 in a telephone interview. “Jayden has this mindset where whether he’s playing the slot or playing outside that he’s gonna find a way to get open and go make the play and he consistently did that for us.”
Higgins has the speed to create separation with a 4.47 time in the 40-yard dash and a 1.53 10-yard split. He has serious hops with a 39-inch vertical leap and a 10-8 broad jump.
A transfer from Eastern Kentucky who wanted to compete at a higher level, Higgins was a third-team All-American last season and a second-team All-Big 12 selection. He caught 87 passes for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns.
His first season at Iowa State, Higgins caught 53 passes for 983 yards and six touchdowns.
At Eastern Kentucky, he caught 13 touchdowns in two seasons, including 10 scores in 2022 on 58 catches for 757 yards.
He’s much larger than the defensive backs tasked with covering him.
His wingspan is over 6-foot-7.
He is still adding more polish to his route-running and refining his overall technique, but his upside is, like his body, regarded as huge.
“I just knew he was going to be a high-end pick and whatever team that got him was going be extremely pleased because of obviously what he brings on the football field,” Pauley said. “Just how he carries himself off the field and how he prepares himself week in and week out and how he just he always plays and does everything with a chip on his shoulder.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
