Texans All-Pro CB Derek Stingley Jr. ranked inside the top-32 by PFF
Derek Stingley Jr. proved that his rise in 2023 was just the beginning. Last season, the former No. 3 overall pick proved he was an elite shutdown defender who might be considered among the best players in the league for the 2025 season as the Houston Texans look to compete for a spot in the AFC Championship game.
Coming off an All-Pro season, Stingley totaled five interceptions (tied for sixth most), 18 pass breakups (second most) and allowed the second-lowest completion percentage among cornerbacks with at least 200 coverage snaps (46.7%), according to NFL Next Gen Stats in 2024. That led to a new three-year, $90 million extension this offseason, making Stingley the highest-paid cornerback in the league with an annual $30 million salary.
But while Stingley might have the respect from the Texans, is he the No. 1 cornerback entering 2025 based on projections? Not according to Pro Football Focus, which listed him as the No. 5 defensive back behind New York's Sauce Gardner, Denver's Pat Surtain II, Kansas City's Trent McDuffie and Chicago's Jaylon Johnson.
"After a poor rookie season, Stingley has generated a 90.3 PFF coverage grade over the past two seasons — the best mark among all cornerbacks," John Koso wrote. "The 2022 No. 3 overall pick plays a high-risk, high-reward brand of football and threads that needle well, as his 12 interceptions across the past two years lead the league."
Even after a down rookie season, Stingley made up for the lack of production with two Pro Bowl-caliber seasons. Fully healthy, he's been the definition of consistent when asked to line up in man coverage and an enforcer in one-on-one battles against top receivers.
The highest-paid defensive back should begin the season as the top name opposite Kamari Lassiter in the AFC. In time with another dominant campaign, he should land no lower than No. 2 and compete with Surtain for Defensive Player of the Year accolades for the long haul.
The Texans open the season against Davante Adams and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 7.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
28 minutes ago
- USA Today
Dallas Cowboys make Jake Ferguson highest-paid tight end in franchise history
Dallas Cowboys training camp kicked off just one day ago in southern California. As the team prepares for its first year under head coach Brian Schottenheimer, the franchise signed one of its top young players for the future. Tight end Jake Ferguson and the Cowboys agreed to a four-year, $52 million extension with $30 million guaranteed. This deal makes Ferguson the highest-paid tight end in Cowboys history. Dallas drafted Ferguson in the fourth round, No. 129 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. He started eight games as a rookie and took on a larger role in his second season. In 2023, Ferguson set career-highs in catches (71), receiving yards (761) and receiving touchdowns (five) and made his first Pro Bowl. He was held scoreless in 2024 as the Cowboys offense struggled without franchise quarterback Dak Prescott in the lineup for much of the season. Ferguson may be the highest-paid tight end in Cowboys history, but this deal makes him the seventh-highest-paid tight end in the league by average annual value (AAV). Per OverTheCap, Ferguson slots in behind Cleveland's David Njoku ($13.68 million AAV) and ahead of Chicago's Cole Kmet ($12.5 million). Ferguson was entering the final year of his rookie deal prior to this extension. The Cowboys state this extension will free up $1.8 million in salary cap space for 2025. Jake Ferguson stats Ferguson assumed a larger role in the Cowboys' offense in 2023 following Dalton Schultz's departure. Here's a look at his stats year-over-year: Micah Parsons contract latest Cowboys fans are hoping the team's top young star gets an extension done soon as well in edge rusher Micah Parsons. They voiced their displeasure during Dallas' "Opening Day Ceremony" at training camp, shouting "Pay Micah!" to owner Jerry Jones as he took the stage to address the crowd. Like Ferguson before his extension, Parsons is entering the final year of his rookie deal. He's been one of the best defenders in the league since his rookie season in 2021 and has been at least a second-team All-Pro in three of his first four seasons. Parsons has reported to training camp but previously spoke about his frustration with the negotiations. He stated his representation tried to get an extension done last offseason but the franchise said they were focusing on deals for Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb instead. Dallas hasn't come together on a deal since the end of the 2024 season. This comes while other top edge rushers like Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt all signed long-term deals. "I will never understand it," Parsons said on former WWE wrestler The Undertaker's podcast, Six Feet Under. "We wanted to do the contract last year – then you go out there and perform again. You would think, 'Alright, we'll get it done early, we know some guys are about to get re-paid.' There's Myles [Garrett], Maxx [Crosby] is going, so you would think, 'Hey, let's get ahead of that.' "You can't want us to take less (now) because you're the one that decided to wait."
USA Today
28 minutes ago
- USA Today
Bills' Joey Bosa gives positive injury update
Buffalo Bills pass rusher Joey Bosa is feeling upbeat about his injury situation early on in his career in western New York. Bosa, 30, came to Buffalo after a few injury filled years with the Los Angeles Chargers. A calf injury happened early during his first season in Buffalo's minicamp. Even so, Bosa gave himself a clean bill of heath during Bills training camp. "I feel great," Bosa said. Last year I felt great, but this year I feel tip top." Following the Bills' decision to release Von Miller, Bosa was signed to provide the veteran presence on Buffalo's defensive line. The Bills are hoping Bosa can re-gain his health and Pro Bowl status. From the outside looking in, head coach Sean McDermott gave a positive update on Bosa from training camp as well. "Couldn't be more happy with the work that he's put in to come back healthy and ready to go," McDermott said. For more from Bosa, see the attached clip below:
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Texans DB Jalen Pitre, LB Christian Harris miss consecutive training camp practices
Two more name to watch for this upcoming week Two starters for the Houston Texans' defense missed practice back-to-back days, but for one player, it's not much of a concern. For the other? Time could be pressing if he plans on securing a starting job for the upcoming season amid a contract year. Nickel defender Jalen Pitre and linebacker Christian Harris missed Saturday's practice, though both were in attendance among the fans and greeted folks after drills. For Pitre, Saturday marked the second consecutive practice missed with an undisclosed injury. For Harris, he's yet to see action in any practice because of a lower-body injury that hindered his playing time last year. Despite being cleared from starting the season on the PUP list, Harris hasn't taken snaps during teams drills. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said that Pitre, like all players, would be on their "own timeline" regarding a return. For Pitre, he's not expected to miss much time and could be back at practice by Monday morning. Pitre, who inked a three-year, $42 million extension this offseason, was having a career year after moving to the nickel from safety in 2024 before a chest injury cut his season short. In the early stages of training camp, he's impressed in coverage, picking off C.J. Stroud on the second day of practice for a return for a touchdown. "He's been a guy who's been very consistent for us, no matter where we've put him or what we've asked him to do. He's just my type of player," Ryans said. "He's all over the field, always up for the challenge. Whatever the down is, he's going to be around the football and making plays and it was evident today.' Harris, who enters the final year of his rookie deal, hopes to return to his 2023 form. When Ryans arrived from San Francisco, no one benefitted more than Harris, who notched 101 tackles, two sacks, three forced fumbles and a pick-six in the wild-card round victory over the Cleveland Browns. With both Henry To'oTo'o and E.J. Speed seeing extended time in the starting lineup, every practice missed for Harris could inch closer to him finding a new home in 2026. The Texans return to practice on Monday.
