Jalen Ramsey just set the expectation for a whole new class of cornerbacks. The former Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Rams cornerback agreed to a new deal with the Dolphins this week that will last for three years and will pay him $72 million throughout that deal, $55 million of which is guaranteed. He'll make roughly $24 million per year, the highest ever for a cornerback.
Not bad for a 29-year-old coming off of a mediocre year in 2023. If Ramsey, who's on the downside of his career, is going to command game-changing money, then the Houston Texans need to be ready for what comes down the proverbial pipe. They have a cornerback of their own who is quite good in Derek Stingley Jr.
While Stingley struggled in year one, he had a near-Pro Bowl-caliber season in 2023 and the hope is that he continues to improve and raise his game over the next couple of seasons. If he does just that and leaps to a Pro Bowl or All-Pro caliber player before his next contract is due, then the Texans are going to have to break the bank to pay Stingley. A scenario that is going to be a bit of a lose-lose for Houston.
It's possible that Stingley gets a massive pay raise bump but falls under the $72/$55 million threshold but we're not sure we can bank on such a thing happening.
After all, if he plays well, he'll be able to demand something at that figure or higher. So the team will have to pony up to keep a good player but in turn, have to let a few others go to make up for the increase in pay to Stingley.
On the other, if Stingley can't demand a contract of that size, it's because he declined in his play or is inconsistent. Making a deal that size impossible to justify. That sounds like a "win" for the team and the status of its cap space, but it ultimately means the team doesn't have the true standout corner we hoped we'd have.
Ideally, Stingley earns himself a huge payday but leaves a little on the table to make sure that the team can continue to pay other good players as well. Hopefully though, if he does leave something on the table, the team rewards him by guaranteeing his contract in full.
That would be a fair balance to the situation at hand.