Texans finalize their top offseason priority by making one of their best young play-makers a whole lot richer after inking record extension
The top offseason priority for the Houston Texans can now be checked off the to-do list following the first week of free agency and well before the 2025 NFL Draft.The Texans have agreed to a record extension with star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. that will make him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history, passing […]
The top offseason priority for the Houston Texans can now be checked off the to-do list following the first week of free agency and well before the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Texans have agreed to a record extension with star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. that will make him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history, passing the bar set by Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn last week.
The deal will be a three-year, $90 million extension with $89 million of it guaranteed. The $30 million annual price sets the new bar for the position.
At 23-years-old, Stingley is coming off the best season of his career in which he was named to the Pro Bowl and selected as a first-team All-Pro at cornerback. It was also the first season in which Stingley suited up for all 17 games.
The Texans have rewarded top defensive stars early in the past, under previous regimes, and getting ahead of this deal works best for all parties involved.
After Horn set the new bar prior to free agency kicking off, the countdown was on for the Texans to get in front of the market. With Stingley's deal now ironed out, all eyes are now on New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner and Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie to potentially earn even more.
While the deal is massive at the current moment, getting ahead of the market both other players around the league beat you to it is always good business. And for Stingley, getting $89 million is absolutely insane, plus it's only a three-year deal.
That means Stingley can get another massive pay day in the near future while still playing in the prime of his career, because this guy is just scratching the surface of what he can become.
The Texans followed the same blueprint the Denver Broncos constructed last offseason by extending Pat Surtain following his third season on a then-record deal. Surtain followed up that new deal by winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2024.
Houston will be banking, literally, on Stingley following a similar blueprint by establishing himself not only as a top defensive back, but a top defensive player in the entire league. The Texans organization clearly believes their former 3rd overall pick has the ability to reach that level and they're willing to put their money where their mouth is to ensure that breakout happens in Houston.
As for the future outlook, defensive end Danielle Hunter will likely be next in line to receive some long-term commitment and in 2026 the attention will go to starting early talks with quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson Jr.
The Houston Texans’ free agency has made their 2025 NFL Draft strategy about as painfully obvious as you can imagine
Draft plans for the Houston Texans have become obvious.
