How good is Houston Texans All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. following his breakout season last fall? Let's just say NFL coaches, executives and personnel members think only the reigning Defensive Player of the Year is better than him entering 2025.
ESPN polled talent evaluators from around the league on the top 10 cornerbacks entering training camp. Denver Broncos star Patrick Surtain II garnered the top spot following a record-setting season under Sean Payton's defense. Trailing close behind was Stingley, who received several votes for the No. 1 spot, but also ranked as low as No. 4.
"Best ball skills in the league, in my opinion," an NFC personnel evaluator told ESPN. "Some of the INTs and tracking the ball in the air, it's rare. That pick against Tyreek [Hill], 99% of DBs in league aren't making that play."
Last season, Stingley set the standard in a top-10 secondary en route to helping Houston clinch a second AFC South division title. He finished second in pass breakups (18), sixth in interceptions (5) and allowed the second-lowest completion percentage among cornerbacks with at least 200 coverage snaps (46.7%), according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
Houston knew losing Stingley wasn't an option, so it negotiated a new three-year extension worth $90 million this offseason to keep him around through 2029. At $30 million annually, he became the highest-paid defensive back in league history before the New York Jets inked Sauce Gardner, the 2022 No. 4 overall pick, to a four-year, $120.4 million extension earlier this month.
While Gardner will earn more over four years, Stingley's $30 million annual salary remains the second-highest in league history. The difference? His $89 million guaranteed is still the highest-paid in total money.
"He's physical, a lot thicker than he looks, movement skills explosive," an NFC assistant coach said. "He has always had this in his game; he just had a slow start to his career due to injury."
As the Texans' No. 1 corner, Stingley gave up just 4.9 yards per target while allowing 42 completions on 90 targets. Opposing quarterbacks produced a 56.9 passer rating against him, which led all corners with at least 50 targets. In three seasons, Stingley's 31 pass breakups and 10 interceptions rank top five among all defensive backs.
The Texans return to practice on Wednesday for the start of training camp.
