Texans Star Predicted to Land Mammoth Contract

This Houston Texans star is being projected to land a massive contract during the NFL offseason.

Jan 30, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; AFC defensive back Derek Stingley Jr. of the Houston Texans (24) during the Satisfying Catches event at the Pro Bowl Skills Challenge at Nicholson Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Houston Texans saw their season come to a rough conclusion with a Divisional Round playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but they did look pretty impressive for spurts.

The Texans' defense in particular was very strong this year, and that was thanks much in part to a terrific secondary spearheaded by cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.

Stingley enjoyed a brilliant campaign, racking up 54 tackles, five interceptions and 18 passes defended en route to a Pro Bowl selection and First-Team All-Pro honors.

The 23-year-old becomes eligible for a contract extension this offseason, and ESPN's Dan Graziano is expecting Stingley to get paid handsomely.

In a piece where Graziano predicted contracts for some very notable players, he projected Stingley to secure a four-year, $104 million deal featuring $80 million in guaranteed money.

"Pat Surtain II's four-year, $96 million deal with the Broncos is likely Stingley's target as the Texans are expected to make his extension a top offseason priority," Graziano wrote. "They'll surely pick up the fifth-year option for 2026, which should cost around $17 million. But the strong likelihood is that they tear up the 2025 and 2026 years and replace them with a brand-new deal that pays Stingley like the top corner he has become."

Of course, the Texans do need to approach this situation with caution.

Why? Because prior to 2024, Stingley had been ravaged by injury issues, as he played in a combined 20 games over the first two seasons of his career.

When healthy, the LSU product is one of the best defensive backs in football, but sometimes, availability is the best ability.

Yes, Stingley appeared in all 17 contests this past season, but the bumps he experienced in Years 1 and 2 is certainly something Houston should take into consideration.