“Get paid young legend” - Jalen Ramsey makes feeling known on Derek Stingley Jr.’s $90,000,000 contract extension

Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. signed a three-year extension with Houston worth $90 million, with all but $1 million of that being guaranteed money.

This makes Stingley the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history. This sparked a reaction from veteran cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who took to his X account to react to the news. Ramsey expressed how happy he was for Stingley and the fact that he got paid.

"OH MY GOD @stingjr GET PAID YOUNG LEGEND! YOU EARNED EVERY PENNY!" Ramsey wrote.

Stingley was drafted third overall by the Houston Texans in the 2022 NFL Draft out of LSU. He spent the first two seasons of his career plagued by injuries. However, in his third season with the Texans, Stingley blossomed into one of the best defensive backs in the NFL. Stingley recorded 54 tackles, four tackles for a loss, 18 passes defended and five interceptions in 2024.

During Houston's postseason run, Stingley continued his stellar play, recording five passes defended and two interceptions. Stingley was awarded First-Team All-Pro honors and selection in the first Pro Bowl after that season. Moreover, despite injuries in his 2023 campaign, he still managed to secure five interceptions that season.

It was evident that the LSU product was on its way to becoming one of the league's top defensive stars, and 2024 solidified that. While there are some injury concerns for Stingley moving forward given he just played the first full healthy season of his career after three seasons, Houston now has their defensive star locked up for the foreseeable future.

Derek Stingley Jr. resets the market for cornerbacks in 2025

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Derek Stingley Jr. has reset the market for cornerbacks in the NFL. Specifically, all eyes will be on New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, who was selected immediately after Stingley Jr. in the 2022 NFL Draft, with the fourth overall pick.

Gardner is also one of the top young defensive players in the secondary in the NFL. He was the 2022 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and was both a Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro selection in 2022 and 2023.

When the Jets are prepared to re-sign Gardner to a long-term deal before the expiration of his rookie deal, a new bar has been set in terms of numbers after Stingley's history-making contract.

It will be interesting to see if New York is able to dish out a contract for Gardner that tops that of Stingley's with the Texans.