Derek Stingley Jr.

Career StatsA-

Year	Team	GP	INT	PD	Tkl
Career		54	15	51	172
2025		17	4	15	36
2024		17	5	18	54
2023		11

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Derek Stingley Jr.'s value math nets a C+ Contract Value Index — placing the deal in a clear band relative to the league median at cornerback. On the surface, a $30M AAV rookie scale contract for a fourth-year player coming off a 2025 season of 36 tackles, 4 interceptions across 17 games and a first-team All-Pro selection appears defensible; the production is genuinely elite, and his A− performance grade reflects sustained excellence at the position. However, the C+ CVI verdict reflects a more sobering reality: cornerback market inflation has accelerated sharply over the past two years, and Stingley's three-year, $90M total commitment carries opportunity cost in a salary-cap environment where positional flexibility matters. At 24 years old entering his prime, Stingley has every opportunity to age into this deal cleanly, and the Texans' recent restructuring signals organizational confidence in his long-term cornerstone status rather than panic. The media narrative paints him as a franchise-cornerstone talent fully living up to his 2022 top-three pedigree—a earned reputation built on shutdown coverage and national recognition—yet the CVI grade suggests Houston paid a premium to lock him in early, a calculated bet on sustained dominance over the next three seasons rather than a steal.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the C band — a quick read on where Derek's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

Derek Stingley Jr. is a fourth-year cornerback for the Houston Texans and a former LSU standout who has established himself as one of the league's most instinctive coverage players. Selected in the first round of the 2022 draft, he has logged 54 career games and earned an A- grade despite a slight dip in production this season. Stingley remains among the elite perimeter defenders in football, though recent performance trends warrant closer monitoring. His ball-hawking ability is genuinely elite, averaging 0.24 interceptions per game this season—well above the NFL average of 0.10 and nearly matching the elite threshold of 0.22. Pass deflections tell a similar story: he's averaging 0.88 per game versus an NFL average of 0.33, placing him squarely in rare company among corner prospects at his experience level. The concern, however, is marginal: his tackle production of 2.12 per game sits slightly below average, suggesting occasional lapses in run support or positioning efficiency. Stingley's season grade of B- represents a modest decline from his B+ performances in 2024 and 2023, but his interception and deflection numbers remain historically strong. His career body of work substantially outpaces this season's snapshot, indicating a player capable of elite play rather than one in legitimate decline. Look for consistency in coverage assignments and tackling angles in 2025 as indicators of whether this season's dip is corrective or the start of a concerning trend.

How Derek Compares at the Position

Derek Stingley Jr. ranks 11th of 272 graded cornerbacks by performance. That slots Derek between Marlon Humphrey (A) just ahead and Byron Murphy Jr. (A-) just behind.

Current Sentiment

Derek Stingley Jr. enters the 2026 season as one of the NFL's most respected cornerbacks, bolstered by his 2025 All-Pro First Team selection and a $30M annual contract that reflects elite-tier compensation. Media and executive perception remains decidedly positive, with recent coverage naming him among the league's top-three cornerbacks and highlighting his tangible impact on the Texans' defense. While Patrick Surtain II maintains the narrative edge as the AP panel's top-ranked corner for a second consecutive year, this competitive positioning does not diminish Stingley's standing as a franchise cornerstone and legitimate All-Pro-caliber talent. The absence of injury concerns, off-field issues, or trade speculation in recent headlines further solidifies his reputation as a stable, high-performing defensive anchor. Heading into 2026, Stingley is widely perceived as a proven star in his prime, with expectations for continued elite-level play and potential for additional All-Pro recognition.