HOUSTON -- Texans star Derek Stingley Jr. said he believes his historic contract extension will be "big" for the position going forward.
On Monday, Stingley and the Texans agreed to a three-year, $90 million deal that made him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history and the first to make $30 million per season. The contract includes $89 million guaranteed.
Stingley's average annual value surpassed the previous record for cornerbacks, which was set last week by Jaycee Horn, who agreed to a four-year, $100 million extension with the Carolina Panthers.
"Receivers are starting to touch $40 million (annually)," Stingley told ESPN. "[We're] the people that are going out there and competing against them. I think it's good that the cornerback position and other defensive positions are starting to get up there, too. But I think it's just good for the sport. Obviously with time it's gonna keep on going up, so I'm excited to see who is gonna make [the next] deal like that."
Stingley is coming off an All-Pro season where he had five interceptions (tied for sixth most in the NFL) and 18 pass breakups (second most). He allowed the second-lowest completion percentage among cornerbacks with at least 200 coverage snaps (46.7%), according to NFL Next Gen Stats. And the No. 3 pick in the 2022 NFL draft anchored a pass defense that ranked sixth in passing yards allowed per game (201).
Stingley was also tasked with following opposing teams' No. 1 wideouts. In the last two seasons in Houston, Stingley had one-on-one snaps against Tyreek Hill (Miami Dolphins), Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings), Ja'Marr Chase (Cincinnati Bengals), CeeDee Lamb (Dallas Cowboys), and DJ Moore (Chicago Bears).
All of those wideouts make at least $27.5 million annually, highlighted by Chase, who signed a four-year, $161 million deal that includes $112 million guaranteed earlier this week. Hill is making $30 million annually, Lamb is at $34M, and Jefferson at $35M.
Stingley is the first cornerback from the 2022 draft class to agree to a massive extension. The group features Sauce Gardner (New York Jets), DaRon Bland (Cowboys), and Trent McDuffie (Kansas City Chiefs) as they have six All-Pro selections between the four of them.
When asked about being the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history, Stingley called it "crazy."
"That's something that you see on social media with other players, and other people whenever they make a deal with any sport," he said. "But now being a part of that is crazy."
