‘It means everything, I get to stay in this great city,’ Texans safety Jimmie Ward reflects on $10.5 million extension

HOUSTON – Shortly before kickoff against the New York Giants, Texans veteran safety Jimmie Ward applied his signature to his one-year, $10.508 million contract extension.

The contract, which includes a $5.25 million signing bonus, $8.75 million total guaranteed, a fully guaranteed $1.5 million base salary this year and $2.75 million in 2025 with $2 million of it guaranteed for skill, injury and salary cap, ensures the hard-hitting defensive back will be with the defending AFC South champions for a third year next season.

Voted a team captain last season, Ward is enjoying being in Houston where he was already planning to live in the offseason before reaching a two-year, $14.5 million free agent deal last year that reunited him with coach DeMeco Ryans, his defensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers.

“Oh man, I’m excited about it,” Ward said. “That was a smile I was trying to give y’all. But, no, man, it means everything. I get to stay in this great city. I love the state and they’re all about football. I get to be with Meco and my teammates, my peers one more extra year. So, I’m really grateful for that.”

Ward’s deal lowered his salary-cap figure from $7.802 million to $6.427 million for this season. He has a $750,000 playtime incentive this year and annual $29,411 per game active roster bonuses up to $500,000.

Ward was entering the final year of his contract before this deal was struck.

A former 49ers first-round draft pick from Northern Illinois, he played in 10 games last season for the Texans and recorded 50 tackles and one interception before being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

For his career, Ward has recorded 501 career tackles, eight interceptions, six forced fumbles, two defensive touchdowns, two fumble recoveries, 11 tackles for losses and five quarterback hits with 47 passes defensed.

Known for his feisty style and a few hits this training camp that have shaken up Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs with one shot triggering a brief fight between the defense and the offense, Ward smiled when asked about his approach to a joint practice Thursday morning with the Los Angeles Rams.

“I see where you’re getting that,” Ward said. “No, just, attack the day, just like every other camp day. And try to go out there and get better and just try to keep it clean and just be on my assignment and make sure I’ll be on my details as well.

“I just attack the day just like I attack the day when I’m out here with my other teammates, but I’m going to try to keep it clean. I still want to go out there and have a great day and I want to just do what my coaches want me to do and play. Obviously, my style is physicality. It’s hard to answer that question, man. I’m going to just try to keep it clean. I’m going to just keep saying that.”

What causes tempers to boil over besides the oppressive Texas heat?

“I really just feel like it’s two styles of play because their coach, they might practice one way and another team may practice another way,” Ward said. “And on top of it’s hot out here. Some guys may not want to get touched. It’s hand-in-hand. They’re not used to us, we’re not used to them. So, one person can get mad and the only person is not going to back down and that’s when you see the fights and stuff happening.”

Ward is upbeat about the transition that Jalen Pitre has been making as he operates at nickel in addition to playing safety. At training camp, Ward has primarily lined up next to Eric Murray and rookie Calen Bullock at safety.

“Oh man, it’s great,” Ward said. “All those guys make plays. You see some of those guys making plays today. So, like, just that whole trio and just the combination with all the corners that we’ve got that can go out there and play good ball. I feel like we’re going to have a really great group this year.”

Bullock is a rangy 6-foot-3, 190-pound third-round draft pick from USC who has made a ton of plays in practice and preseason games, including a forced fumble against the Chicago Bears.

“We really have been helping each other,” Ward said. “You never can stop learning in this league. Just if he asks me questions, I’ll tell him how I play it and how I see it and the same thing with him. He’ll tell me certain stuff, how he plays it and how he sees it. And then I feel like that helps everybody.”

“He’s a pretty big safety. Like what is he like 6′2″, 6′3″? And then he has a lot of range too, so pretty fast. So, just like how he sees the quarterback and sees the quarterback’s steps back there, I feel like it’s dynamic and it’s a leap.”

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