In Houston, Laremy Tunsil became part of the problem. In Washington, he vows to be part of the solution.
And he hopes to solve his personal problem of having too many penalties. In 2024, he led the league with nineteen fouls.
“It’s really just me versus me at the end of the day,” Tunsil told reporters during his first media session as a member of the Commanders, via Bryan Manning of USA Today. “There’s a lot of things I want to work on. Those 19 penalties I had last season are unacceptable. That’s something I want to address for sure, getting that number down or even having none. I want to keep growing as a player, as a pass blocker, a run blocker; it doesn’t matter. I’m always trying to improve in each of those fields.”
For the year, Tunsil had 12 false starts, three illegal formation fouls, two holding calls, an ineligible man downfield violation, and an unnecessary roughness penalty.
Of the 19 penalties, 12 happened in the first four weeks of the 2024 season — with six in a Week 3 loss to the Vikings.
It’s not officially signed yet, but it will be soon. And when it’s done, Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. will have a five-year, $113 million deal.
What’s that? Every report you’ve seen said it’s three years and $90 million? That’s one of the basic realities of the new “insider” game, where only part of the story is told. (Basically, the best part for the player and his agent.)
The deal adds three new years and $90 million in new money. But it’s still a five-year deal. Stingley was due to make $5.431 million in 2025, the fourth year of his rookie contract. He would have made $17.6 million in 2026, under the fifth-year option.
To calculate the full value of the deal, add the old money with the new money. And there’s the $113 million.
The situation has sparked plenty of misconceptions. Some believe Stingley will still make $5.431 million this year and $17.6 million next year before the three-year extension kicks in. That NEVER happens with NFL contracts. The old deal will be torn up, and it will be replaced with the new contract at a new structure.
We’ll get the full breakdown as soon as the deal is official. Until then, remember three things. One, the existing two years will disappear, with a new five-year contract replacing them. Two, the “new-money” average will $30 million per year. Three, the average from signing for the five-year, $113 million contract will be $22.6 million per year.
For drafted players, the window for a new contract opens after the conclusion of his third regular season. Some teams kick the can on a new deal until after the fourth year. Some swoop in and get the second contract done quickly.
The Texans have moved very quickly with cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.
It’s an example of what can happen when team and agent don’t play games. When there’s mutual trust. When they can reach an agreement without needing a real deadline like the start of the regular season.
There’s nothing currently happening, as it relates to the 2025 NFL on-field calendar. The offseason program doesn’t begin until April. Training camp doesn’t open until late July. And yet the Texans and Stingley found a way to do what would have been done anyway, at a later date.
As plenty of teams have learned the hard way, waiting until a later date makes the deal more expensive. It never, ever gets cheaper.
Last year, the Broncos extended 2024 defensive player of the year Patrick Surtain II before the season began. He got $24 million per year in new money, a record at the time for cornerbacks. If they’d waited, they’d now be looking at more than $30 million per year, since that’s the new bar set by Stingley.
Now, the Texans have locked in at $30 million annually for Stingley. In so doing, they’ve sent a clear message to the locker room. If you perform at a high level and otherwise cause no problems, you will be rewarded handsomely and on a timely basis.
It’s another reason to believe the Texans are on the rise. And that they could be preparing to crash the hammerlock that the Chiefs, Bills, and Ravens have on the top of the conference.
The Texans have agreed to terms with cornerback Ronald Darby on a one-year, $2.5 million deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
The Jaguars released Darby last week.
Darby joined the Jaguars last March on a two-year deal worth up to $10 million. He started 12 games and totaled 46 tackles, three tackles for loss and nine pass breakups.
Darby, 31, entered the NFL as a second-round pick of the Bills in 2015. He played two seasons in Buffalo, two in Philadelphia, one in Washington, two in Denver and one in Baltimore before joining the Jaguars.
In his 10-year career, Darby has totaled 447 tackles, eight interceptions, 106 pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He has played 6,222 defensive snaps.
Houston has moved on from three players on Monday.
The Texans announced they have waived receiver Kearis Jackson and safety Brandon Hill along with releasing cornerback Anthony Averett.
Hill was waived with a failed physical designation.
All three players did not appear in a game for Houston in 2024. Jackson has played two career games for the Titans, both of which were in 2023. Hill appeared in two games for Houston in 2023.
Averett has the most experience of the three, appearing in 51 career games for the Ravens and Raiders. But he has not played in a regular-season game since 2022.
The Texans have agreed to terms with fullback Jakob Johnson on a one-year deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Johnson reunites with Nick Caley, the Texans’ offensive coordinator who was his position coach with the Patriots.
Johnson, 30, has played six NFL seasons, most recently with the Giants. He appeared in three games with one start, seeing action on 12 offensive snaps and 39 on special teams.
He initially entered the NFL with the Patriots as part of the NFL International Player Pathway program. He previously played for the Stuttgart Scorpions in the German Football League.
Johnson spent three seasons with the Patriots and two with the Raiders before landing with the Giants.
New Commanders offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil believes he is going to show right away that Washington made a wise move in trading for him.
“I can make a huge impact,” Tunsil said. “Pass protector, damn good run blocker.”
Tunsil knows he was brought to Washington largely because the Commanders are investing in protecting quarterback Jayden Daniels, and he’s ready for that.
“I can’t wait to block for Jayden Daniels. He’s a baller. Just from seeing him on TV and on film too, and it seems like he’s a better dude,” Tunsil said.
Tunsil said he has no hard feelings toward the Texans for trading him, noting that Houston is trying to retain young players like cornerback Derek Stingley and had to have the salary cap space available for moves like that.
“They’re just trying to keep the young guys together. It’s as simple as that,” Tunsil said. “They just paid Stingley today, they just gave that boy the bag. So I truly understand that.”
And the Commanders understand the importance of keeping Daniels upright, and trading for Tunsil is part of that.
The Vikings may be adding a former first-round pick to their defense.
Cornerback Jeff Okudah is visiting with Minnesota on Monday, the team announced.
Okudah, 26, was the Lions’ No. 3 overall pick in 2020 but his career has been plagued by injuries.
After spending 2023 with the Falcons, he signed a one-year deal with Houston last offseason. But a quad injury limited him to appearing in just six games with his snaps mostly limited to special teams. He recorded nine total tackles with one pass defensed in 2024.
In 44 games with 31 starts for the Lions, Falcons, and Texans, Okudah has registered 14 passes defensed and two interceptions.
Derek Stingley Jr. has reset the cornerback market.
According to multiple reports, Stingley has agreed to a record three-year extension with the Texans, becoming the highest-paid defensive back in league history.
The initial numbers indicate Stingley’s deal is worth $90 million with $89 million guaranteed. His $30 million average creates a new high for CBs. Jaycee Horn had been atop the list with his $25 million extension that was agreed to earlier this month.
Stingley, 23, had a terrific third season in 2024, registering 18 passes defended with five interceptions. He was a first-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler for the first time.
The No. 3 overall pick of the 2022 draft, Stingley has recorded 36 passes defensed with 11 interceptions in 37 career games.
Cooper Kupp had a short stint in free agency. For plenty of other big-name receivers on the wrong side of 30, the wait continues.
Our list of top 100 free agents has three of them — Amari Cooper, Stefon Diggs, and Keenan Allen. Others still available include Brandin Cooks and Tyler Lockett.
There are plenty of pass-catchers without objectively big names (and not necessarily over 3o), too. That list includes the likes of Diontae Johnson, Robert Woods, Nelson Agholor, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyler Boyd, and Mecole Hardman.
The fact that so many receivers are available at this point is a sign that the position is becoming in some respects like running back. Every year, young, cheap, healthy, and productive options are available in the draft class.
It’s also likely that plenty of the names listed above (especially the biggest ones) need to have their expectations softened by the phone not ringing.
Really, has there been any buzz about Cooper or Diggs or Allen or Cooks or Lockett? And it’s not for lack of interest in veteran receivers; a lot of them have been signed this week.
Cupp, Davante Adams, and Chris Godwin are the biggest names to get significant deals this week. Others who landed fairly quick contracts include Darius Slayton, Josh Palmer, Dyami Brown, Demarcus Robinson, Mack Hollins, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Ashton Dulin, Mike Williams, Trent Sherfield, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Sterling Shepard, Tim Patrick, Braxton Berrios, Dante Pettis, and more.
Even DeAndre Hopkins has gotten signed. Yes, it was a one-year, $5 million deal. But he pounced on the opportunity when it emerged.
That might be the biggest reason why some of the biggest names at the position are still out there. They possibly have had interest, but the numbers might be much lower than they’d like.
The numbers likely won’t get much better. At this point, the risk is that there simply won’t be roster spots by the time they decide to take whatever they can get.
