HOUSTON – One year after hammering out a three-year, $90 million contract extension for All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., the Texans are set to make an adjustment to the deal for salary-cap space.
The Texans plan to restructure Stingley’s contract to create some much-needed financial flexibility heading into free agency, per league sources.
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Stingley Jr. after earning the highest-paid cornerback deal in NFL history in terms of new-money average per year, is due a $21.595 million base salary. The Texans are expected to convert the majority of that number into a signing bonus to prorate the salary cap impact and lower his salary-cap figure of $27.095 million for the 2026 NFL fiscal year.
The Texans don’t lack for flexibility and ability to create more salary-cap space to be competitive in the free agency signings period that officially starts next week. The Texans also are expected to sign All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. to a blockbuster contract extension this offseason and he could become the highest paid defensive player in the league, per league sources.
That includes Texans All-Pro defensive end Danielle Hunter, who has a $31.3 million salary cap figure and a $22.6 million base salary. Hunter is interested in a contract extension, per a league source.
Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins has a $27.767 million salary-cap figure and a $20 million base salary. It’s unclear if the Texans will extend early because Collins, based on his production, is at an affordable number and has a $21.249 million base salary in 2027.
Tight end Dalton Schultz, who hasn’t been the subject of contract talks at this point heading into the final year of his contract, has a $15.949 million salary-cap figure and an $11 million base salary. There is no movement at this point toward any change to his deal, but Schultz is in the Texans’ plans for next season after catching a career-high 82 passes last year.
Pro Bowl middle linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and the Texans have mutual interest in a contract extension this offseason, per sources Al-Shaair is due an $11 million base salary in the final year of his three-year, $34 million contract. He currently has a $15.235 million salary-cap figure.
Texans nickel Jalen Pitre, after signing a three-year, $42.6 million extension last year, can also be tapped into for salary-cap space with a restructure. He is due a $9 million base salary and has a $11.911 million salary-cap figure.
The Texans are expected to adjust newly-acquired running back David Montgomery’s deal at some point, per a source. Montgomery is due a $5.49 million base salary.
The Texans are expected to cut former Pro Bowl runner Joe Mixon, who recently had foot surgery after missing the entire season with a mysterious non-football injury. Mixon has a $10 million salary-cap figure and an $8 million base salary that can be shed by releasing him, perhaps with a failed physical designation.
Offensive guard Ed Ingram, coming off a resurgent season as one of the highest-graded interior linemen in the NFL, is expected to be expensive to retain and could be priced out of their budget, per sources. Ingram could command anywhere between $15 million to $18 million annually on the open market.
The Texans and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins have mutual interest in a potential new deal, per league sources. Rankins scored two touchdowns last season and recorded three sacks, five tackles for losses and nine quarterback hits. Rankins also provides strong leadership in the locker room and has mentored Anderson. He had 10 tackles, one sack, one tackle for a loss and two quarterback hits in the playoffs.
The Texans and linebacker E.J. Speed have mutual interest in a potential contract extension after his one-year, $5 million deal expired, per sources. However, Speed is also expected to draw strong interest across the league in free agency.
The Texans and former Pro Bowl offensive tackle Trent Brown and former All-Pro punter Tommy Townsend are also two starters the team is interested in bringing back, per sources.
Defensive end Derek Barnett, 29, has played at a high level for the past two seasons, recording a combined 10 sacks, 12 tackles for losses and 17 quarterback hits. The Texans would ideally like Barnett back.
Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk, a free agent, is not expected to return.
Veteran defensive end Denico Autry, 35, hasn’t made a decision on his plans for next season and isn’t expected to return and will contemplate whether to continue playing football, per a source.
Defensive tackle Tim Settle Jr., making a sound recovery from a Lisfranc foot surgery, is expected to test free agency, per sources, with the door not closed on a possible return depending on his price.
Defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi is a free agent and is not expected to return due to durability issues.
Running back Nick Chubb, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, is a free agent and is not expected to return with the addition of Montgomery as the primary back via a trade and the return of Woody Marks after leading the team in rushing yards last season.
Backup linebacker Christian Harris is a free agent and is not expected to return after a history of injuries over the past few seasons that reduced his role significantly.
Wide receiver Braxton Berrios, who had a minor role last season on special teams and on offense, is a free agent and not expected to return.
Depending on safety M.J. Stewart’s recovery from a torn quadriceps tendon, the Texans would likely have interest in having him back potentially.
Running back Dare Ogunbowale is a perennial candidate for a low-cost re-signing due to his versatility and special-teams skills.
Texans nickel Myles Bryant, defensive tackles Naquan Jones and Leki Fotu, tight end Harrison Bryant, fullback Jakob Johnson and linebacker Damone Clark are also unrestricted free agents.
Defensive tackle Kurt Hinish’s $1.8 million one-year contract tolled on the reserve-physically unable to perform list.
Stingley will still make the same amount of money this year. It’s a regularly used financial mechanism the Texans do a good job of exercising with void years to add more salary cap space to sign more players.
Stingley, who received a $25 million signing bonus on a deal that includes $89.026 million total guaranteed, was named an All-Pro for the second year in a row last season.
Stingley has base salaries of $1.431 million in 2025, $21.595 million in 2026 that are fully guaranteed, $20 million in 2027 guaranteed for injury that will become fully guaranteed by March of 2026, $21 million in 2028 guaranteed for injury at signing that becomes fully guaranteed in March of 2027 and $21 million in 2029. The total package is five years and worth $113 million overall, including a $1 million roster bonus in 2029 and per-game active roster bonuses up to $500,000 from 2026 to 2029.
Stingley is the only cornerback in franchise history to earn Associated Press first team All-Pro honors.
“I know a lot of people haven’t done it,” Stingley said. “So, it’s cool to be one of those people.”
Stingley attributed his growth as a player to the coaching and example established by his father and namesake.
“Without my pops, none of this, I wouldn’t have nothing,” Stingley said.
He is avoided for the most part by opposing quarterbacks because of his rare coverage skills and penchant for intercepting passes.
He recorded 36 tackles, 15 passes defensed and four interceptions for a defense that finished the season ranked first in the NFL in total yards allowed per game (277.2), second in points allowed per game (17.4) and allowed the league’s third-lowest passer rating (76.2). He is the only cornerback in the NFL to record at least four interceptions in each of the previous three seasons.
Stingley returned his first interception for a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders and forced a fumble. He was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week. He led all cornerback ballots with 130 votes in the All-Pro selection process.
“He can do anything he wants to do,” Texans nickel Jalen Pitre said. “He’s the best cornerback in the league. He could play receiver. I don’t know if y’all have seen him on a juke, but he could play running back. And I know y’all haven’t seen him at practice, but he also could play quarterback. There’s nothing he can’t do.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com