Yesterday afternoon, the Cleveland Browns awarded their five-time Pro Bowler in cornerback Denzel Ward with a brand new two-year, $62.2 million contract with $52.3 million in guarantees. The pact now makes Ward the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history for the second time in his career, and ties the 29-year-old to the Browns through the 2027 season at the earliest.
The top-five highest paid defensive backs now look like:
- Denzel Ward: $31.1 million APY (Cleveland Browns)
- Trent McDuffie: $31 million APY (Los Angeles Rams)
- Sauce Gardner: $30.1 million APY (Indianapolis Colts)
- Derek Stingley Jr.: $30 million APY (Houston Texans)
- Jaycee Horn: $25 million APY (Carolina Panthers)
As seen on the list, the Houston Texans already have dipped their toes in the water with backing up the proverbial Brinks truck for their own homegrown secondary talent in Stingley. However, he has a running mate in Pro Bowler Kamari Lassiter who's played his way into conversations for being one of the best overall cornerbacks in the NFL as of right now.
This was evidenced by the immense respect -- or disrespect depending on your viewpoint -- that Lassiter received as "the best number-two cornerback in the NFL" according the league-wide positional rankings of Senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler this Summer. As a result, Lassiter and the Texans could be on their way to the negotiating table pretty soon with a specific pay range in mind thanks to Ward's extension.
Kamari Lassiter could have a number in mind for an extension thanks to Denzel Ward
Since his debut in the 2024 season, Lassiter has grown to be a nearly perfect compliment to his All-Pro counterpart in Stingley. Bringing tenasity, grit, a knack for clean catch disruption and underrated ball skills, Lassiter has asserted himself on many a quarterback who dared to think targeting him instead of Stingley would be a walk in the park. Across his two professional years, Lassiter has accumulated:
- 30 Games played
- 149 Total tackles (104 solo, 45 assist)
- Seven interceptions
- 27 Passes defended
Compare that to Ward's last two seasons, and Lassiter has the statistical edge in both tackles and turnovers generated (with an understanding that those two stats have situational value in their respective defensive schemes and/or assignments):
- 31 games played
- 88 Total tackles (70 solo, 18 assist)
- One forced fumble (and recovery)
- Three interceptions
- 28 passes defended
Add on the fact that Lassiter is almost six years the junior of Ward, and you'd have a recipe for a contract extension the would almost no doubtedly begin at Ward's new money as the floor.
Seeing as though Lassiter was a second-round pick, the Texans also wouldn't have a fifth-year option lever to pull in order to kick the can on a potential contract for the former Georgia Bulldog.
The clock may already be ticking on a new deal between Kamari Lassiter and the Texans
At the end of the 2026 season, Lassiter would officially be on the final year of his rookie contract. And thus, one would assume the sound of the NFL economy clock's ticking would begin to grow louder and louder for Houston's front office. If the Texans want to keep who's arguably the best tandem of defensive backs in the NFL together, general manager Nick Caserio and co. will most likely have to fork over some serious financial capital in order to do so (could project to be worth over $60 million combined between the two).
Therein lies the gift and the consequence of great drafting. While the talent level continues to rise in Houston, so does the price tag. I for one believe that Lassiter should be in Houston for a second contract at a minimum, which in theory could at least bind him with Stingley through the 2029 season.
With the salary cap continuing to rise every offseason, and with Lassiter providing CB1 quality play opposite a multi-time All-Pro, it would behoove Houston to try and lock down Lassiter sooner rather than later (if they plan on keeping him, that is). If not, then difficult PR conversations might need to commence within the walls of Reliant Stadium regarding one of the fan favorites --along with being one of the most impactful-- on the team.
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