Azeez Al-Shaair signs contract extension with Texans. Here's what it means

TheHouston Texanshave agreed to an extension with one of their key defenders following the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Texans are signing linebackerAzeez Al-Shaairto a three-year extension, according to multiple reports. The full terms of the contract have not yet been disclosed.

Al-Shaair was entering the final season of a three-year, $34 million contract he signed with the Texans as a free agent in 2024. His new deal will tie him to Houston through the 2029 NFL season.

OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> CB Trent McDuffie: Traded to Los Angeles Rams (previous team: Kansas City Chiefs)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RB David Montgomery: Traded to Houston Texans (previous team: Detroit Lions)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> WR DJ Moore: Traded to Buffalo Bills (previous team: Chicago Bears)

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2026 NFL offseason tracker: Player signings, trades

OT Tytus Howard:Traded to Cleveland Browns(previous team: Houston Texans)

Al-Shaair's extension comes after he enjoyed a career-best season in 2025. He totaled 103 tackles – his second-most in a single season – while notching a career-best two interceptions and nine pass defenses and allowing an 80.3 passer rating.

Al-Shaair was named to his first career Pro Bowl as a result of his strong 2025 campaign. He was also the Texans' nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

The Texans kept Al-Shaair despite trade overtures from the Dallas Cowboys,ESPN's Todd Archer reports. The Cowboys pursued Al-Shaair beforeacquiring linebacker Dee Wintersfrom the San Francisco 49ers during the 2026 NFL Draft.

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Retaining Al-Shaair could prove critical for the Texans. Both he and fellow starting linebackerHenry To'oTo'owere set to be free agents following the 2026 season. Now, the Texans have at least one linebacker locked up long-term for their defense, which was among the NFL's best stop units last season.

Here's more to know about Al-Shaair's contract as the soon-to-be 29-year-old prepares to stay in Houston long-term.

Azeez Al-Shaair contract details

The full details of Al-Shaair's contract have not yet been disclosed. All that is presently known is that Al-Shaair has signed a three-year extension to remain with the Texans.

Al-Shaair is the second notable Houston defender to sign a lucrative extension during the offseason. The Texans also inked star pass rusherWill Anderson Jr. to a three-year, $150 million contractto make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history by average annual value (AAV).

This story will be updated.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Texans extend Pro Bowl linebacker after 2026 NFL Draft

byMario Satorik

in

May 02, 2026

Azeez Al-Shaair signs contract extension with Texans. Here's what it means

TheHouston Texanshave agreed to an extension with one of their key defenders following the 2026 NFL Draft. The Texans are signing ...

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New York Mets' Luis Robert Jr. hits the injured list with disc herniation

NEW YORK (AP) — The depletedNew York Metstook another hit Thursday when center fielder Luis Robert Jr. was placed on the 10-day injured list with lumbar spine disc herniation.

Robert, 28, hasn’t played since the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies due to what the team said was lower back tightness. AnMRI administered on Wednesdayrevealed the injury. The IL move was retroactive to April 27.

Manager Carlos Mendoza said Robert had an epidural and was instructed to rest for seven to 10 days. He said team doctors were hopeful Robert could return shortly thereafter.

“It’s just frustrating from both ends — for Luis, for us,” Mendoza said before the series finale againstthe Washington Nationals. “But we’ve got to get him back right.”

The IL stint is the 10th since 2021 for Robert, who has previously been sidelined by right hip, right knee, left wrist and left hamstring issues as well as blurred vision. He has played more than 110 games just once — in 2023, when he finished 12th in the AL MVP voting after hitting 38 homers for the Chicago White Sox.

The Mets acquired Robert from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Luisangel Acuña in January in hopes the former Gold Glove Award winner could help improve their up-the-middle defense. He was limited to back field duty for most of spring training in an attempt to keep him healthy for the regular season.

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Robert had a homer and five RBIs in the first two games of the season but has just five hits in his last 38 at-bats dating back to April 13 to drop his season average to .224.

“He’s super frustrated — yesterday and this morning, when he got the news — because he’s done everything we’re asking him to do,” Mendoza said.

Robert is the second Mets player to hit the injured list with a lumbar spine ailment this week and the third opening day position player on the shelf. Starting pitcher Kodai Senga (lumbar spine inflammation) went on the 15-day injured list Tuesday.

Shortstop Francisco Lindor (left calf) and first baseman/designated hitter Jorge Polanco (left Achilles, right wrist) are also on the injured list for the Mets, who began Thursday with baseball’s worst record at 10-20.

To replace Robert, the Mets recalled infielder Eric Wagaman from Triple-A Syracuse. The club also recalled pitcher Austin Warren from Syracuse and designated veteran pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. for assignment. Edwards allowed one run in six innings of relief over two appearances this week.

AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

byMario Satorik

in

May 01, 2026

New York Mets' Luis Robert Jr. hits the injured list with disc herniation

NEW YORK (AP) — The depletedNew York Metstook another hit Thursday when center fielder Luis Robert Jr. was placed on the 10-day injured...

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Jaden McDaniels and the feisty Timberwolves oust the Nuggets and move on to meet the Spurs

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — TheMinnesota Timberwolveshad plenty of lulls during the regular season, seemingly coasting at times while struggling to recapture the form that fueled them to consecutive Western Conference finals appearances over the last two years.

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The postseason switch sure got flipped against the rival Denver Nuggets, as the players promised all along. The energy and urgency was never greater than in the series-clinchingGame 6 victoryon Thursday, when the determined Timberwolves shook off the absence of their three best guards and beat the Nuggets 110-98.

“Still part of our growth,” coach Chris Finch said. “We’ve been really good with the high moments. Our consistency sometimes throughout the season isn’t always there, which we don’t really like about ourselves, but we know we have it in ourselves to meet these moments.”

Jaden McDaniels clearly does.

Nobody on the Timberwolves embodies the mercurial nature of this close-knit but often-moody team than McDaniels, the sixth-year forward who made a name for himself in this series.

Tirelessly chasing All-Star guard Jamal Murray around screens and everywhere he tried to go along the perimeter, limiting him to 4-for-17 shooting in Game 6, McDaniels did even more on the offensive end.

With a big chunk of the team's shot creation missing due to injuries to Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo and Ayo Dosunmu, McDaniels went 13 for 25 from the floor for 32 points with 10 rebounds.

“What I was the most proud about him was just his emotional control, being able to stay poised, not overreact to adversity, calls or missed shots, or mistakes,” teammate Rudy Gobert said. "He stayed present, and he stepped up big time when we needed him the most, so I’m really, really proud of him.”

McDaniels tossed even more spice into thiswell-developed rivalryearly in the series with his blanket “bad defenders” jab at the opponent, and he made no secret of the motivation he gets from seeing “Denver” or “Nuggets” sewed on the other team's jersey.

“The only thing I said to him, after he had made his comments, was, ‘Now it’s time to back it up,’” Finch said. “And talking doesn’t matter. You've got to go do it. I knew he was going to put the effort in, so he was ready for it, and he owned it, and he responded.”

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McDaniels later irked Nuggets star Nikola Jokic by taking an uncontested layup in the closing seconds of Minnesota's blowout win in Game 4, sparking a brief shoving match.

McDaniels had his worst game of the series in the loss in Game 5 on Monday, when he was booed often by the Denver crowd, but he responded on his home court with one of the best games of his career.

With the Timberwolves trying to put away the game, McDaniels delivered the dagger shot — swishing his signature mid-range pull-up to give them a seven-point lead with 1:06 to play. Then he intercepted a harried pass by Jokic to get the ball back and start a parade to the line.

Jokic gave McDaniels a hug after the final horn, a sign of respect from the three-time NBA MVP despite the irritation he caused all series long.

“I’m just happy it’s over, happy we were able to come out on top,” McDaniels said. “Stuff was said. I’m just happy we were all able to prove our point, get the win and move on to the next round.”

Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs have been waiting. They'll host Game 1 on Monday.

“I figured the real winner of this series was going to be San Antonio, because both these teams were going to take a lot of pieces out of each other, and did,” Finch said. “So I’m not sure what we have left standing there before we go down there.”

Even if they're short-handed and overmatched, the Timberwolves are a good bet to put up a strong fight.

“You have to believe that you can win, no matter what,” Gobert said. "Obviously we’re missing some pretty important players, right? But no matter who’s out there, we believe in our defense. We believe in trusting one another. Anything’s possible.”

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

byMario Satorik

in

May 01, 2026

Jaden McDaniels and the feisty Timberwolves oust the Nuggets and move on to meet the Spurs

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — TheMinnesota Timberwolveshad plenty of lulls during the regular season, seemingly coasting at times while struggling...

Read More