The Houston Texans haven’t added any big names via free agency this offseason, choosing instead to make waves by trading for proven veterans like Christian Kirk and Super Bowl champion C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
However, the Texans recently spent a big sum of money on one of their own by locking up their All-Pro cornerback with a massive $90 million extension.
Houston Texans Reset CB Market With Derek Stingley Jr. Extension
Houston won the AFC South for the second straight season in 2024 with one of the best defenses in the league. The Texans finished No. 7 in PFSN’s Defense+ metric last season, and first-team All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. was a main cog of the unit.
The Carolina Panthers had softly reset the cornerback market by giving Jaycee Horn a $25 million-a-year extension earlier this offseason, but Houston blew that number out of the water. ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the deal.
Schefter tweeted, “Record deal: Texans All-Pro CB Derek Stingley Jr. has agreed to a three-year, $90 million extension including $89 million guaranteed. At $30M base value per year, Stingley is now the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history. The CB market has been completely reset. Deal negotiated by David Mulugheta of Athletes First.”
Record deal: Texans All-Pro CB Derek Stingley Jr has agreed to a three-year, $90 million extension including $89 million guaranteed. At $30M base value per year, Stingley is now the highest paid defensive back in NFL history. The CB market has been completely reset.
Deal… pic.twitter.com/g8nzFFFQvj
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 17, 2025
Stingley’s $30 million per year puts him $5 million ahead of Horn and the rest of the cornerback market.
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- Derek Stingley Jr. — $30 million
- Jaycee Horn — $25 million
- Jalen Ramsey — $24.1 million
- Patrick Surtain II — $24 million
- Jaire Alexander — $21 million
His $89 million guaranteed is almost double the next-highest guarantee for a DB ($46.7 million for Jaycee Horn).
Massive numbers. Corner market was due a reset, and it's happened with Jaycee Horn ($25M per year) and Stingley — a truly elite cover man — coming over the top at $30M per. https://t.co/su1txXOi7d
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 17, 2025
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler responded, “Massive numbers. Corner market was due for a reset, and it’s happened with Jaycee Horn ($25M per year) and Stingley — a truly elite cover man — coming over the top at $30M per.”
Stingley is one of the best corners in the league, totaling five interceptions each of the last two seasons. His 10 picks in that span rank first among CBs and tied for fourth among all players. Stingley allowed only 4.5 yards per target (40-85, 382 yards). That was the best among 147 players to face 50+ targets last season.
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For the rising star, 2024 was the best year of his career, but he’s been a consistently good corner since entering the league. Stingley has allowed 5.8 yards per target through three NFL seasons. That’s fourth-best among DBs with 100+ targets since 2022. He was the No. 3 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and he’s lived up to that pedigree.
The Texans have benefited from playing in the weak AFC South, and locking up one of their best defensive players makes it clear they want to contend for more than a division crown.