Darren Fells, Texans Reportedly Agree to 2-Year, $7M Contract Extension

The Houston Texans and tight end Darren Fells reportedly agreed to a two-year, $7 million contract extension Tuesday.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the deal will pay the 33-year-old $4 million during the 2020 season.

Fells is coming off a career year in which he set personal bests with 34 receptions for 341 yards and seven touchdowns, the latter of which tied him for the team lead with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

Last season was Fells' first as a member of the Texans after previous stints with the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns. He got a late start in the NFL since he played basketball professionally overseas from 2008-12 after starring in basketball at UC Irvine.

The 6'7" Fells made a surprisingly quick and smooth transition from basketball to the NFL, as he started 12 games in 2015, his second season in the league, with the Cardinals.

While Fells has appeared in 86 games and made 62 starts during his career, it wasn't until last season that he truly established himself as an important part of an offense and the clear No. 1 option at his position.

Although Fells isn't a game-breaker, his 270-pound frame made him a favorite red-zone target of quarterback Deshaun Watson. Given the chemistry they cultivated last season, re-signing Fells was likely an easy decision.

Houston is keeping Fells at a reasonable cap number as well, which leaves open the possibility of further strengthening the tight end position by signing someone else or addressing it in the draft.

Austin Hooper, Hunter Henry and Eric Ebron are some of the bigger names that will be available at tight end in free agency. If the Texans don't want to go after them, Notre Dame's Cole Kmet, Purdue's Brycen Hopkins, Washington's Hunter Bryant, Dayton's Adam Trautman, Florida Atlantic's Harrison Bryant and Missouri's Albert Okwuegbunam are among those who could be draft targets.

Fells plays a specific role in the Houston offense, and if the Texans can add a field-stretching tight end to complement him as well as Hopkins, Will Fuller V and Kenny Stills, perhaps they have a chance to go further than the AFC Divisional Round like last season.