One of the Houston Texans’ biggest priorities this offseason is signing Pro Bowl cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. to a contract extension. The former third overall pick is entering his fourth year in the league, making him eligible for an extension.
The 23-year-old Stingley is coming off an outstanding 2024 season that saw him be named to his first Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro. The former LSU standout had 54 combined tackles, 18 pass deflections, five interceptions, and four tackles for loss.
With his trajectory, Stingley could be one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL and will deserve to be paid like he is. However, another young cornerback beat him to the bank, which is great news for Stingley, but bad for the Texans.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Carolina Panthers made cornerback Jaycee Horn the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history. Horn is getting a four-year, $100M deal ($25 million annually), with $70M guaranteed.
Sources: There is a new highest-paid DB in the NFL history — as the #Panthers agreed on a huge extension with Pro Bowl CB Jaycee Horn.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2025
He gets a 4-year, $100M deal ($25M per year), with $70M guaranteed. Negotiated by Trevon Smith & David Mulugheta of @AthletesFirst. 💰 💰 💰 pic.twitter.com/XsIzIJm9Uw
The Panthers Pro Bowl cornerback has reset the market for the cornerback spot as he makes more on a per-year basis than Jalen Ramsey ($24.1M AAV) and Patrick Surtain II ($24M AAV). Horn, who doesn't have an All-Pro next to his name or DPOY award, is the highest-paid player at the position.
To his credit, Horn had a good 2024 season in Carolina, posting 68 combined tackles, 13 pass deflections, five tackles for loss, two sacks, two quarterback hits, and an interception.
He also had a 53.2 completion percentage allowed on targets, a 92.7 pass rating allowed when targeted, but allowed six receiving touchdowns. Those are all solid numbers for Horn. With the Panthers’ defense still finding its identity, it's understandable why they might’ve overpaid for Horn.
That said, Stingley is the better cornerback and you don’t have to look far to see the difference. The former LSU star has posted back-to-back seasons with five interceptions. This past season, he also had a 47.1 completion percentage allowed on targets and a 51.2 pass rating allowed when targeted.
Simply put, quarterbacks are making a conscious effort not to throw to Stingley’s side and when they do, completions are few and far between. Stingley gave up four receiving touchdowns, but that will happen to any cornerback.
Nonetheless, the Texans must prepare to open up their wallet this offseason. With Horn getting $25M per year, Houston needs to get something done as soon as possible because New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner is also eligible for an extension and the price tag could go up again.