Derek Stingley Jr. Suddenly Pops Up On Injured List
Houston will turn to Shaq Griffin who was signed this offseason to help fill the void.
One of the strongest positions on the Texans' roster is taking on some water due to injuries.
How the Texans handle the absence of standout cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. from the starting lineup due to a hamstring injury will be telling about their depth.
They will likely use Shaq Griffin as the primary replacement for Stingley opposite outside corner Steven Nelson with Grayland Arnold replacing an injured Tavierre Thomas at nickel as safety Jimmie Ward returns from a hip injury to play opposite M.J. Stewart with Jalen Pitre still sidelined.
Griffin is a former Pro Bowl selection with the Seattle Seahawks who was signed this offseason, but hasn't made any big plays.
Stingley could miss multiple games and be placed on injured reserve, per league sources.
A former LSU consensus All-American drafted third overall last year, Stingley has started the first two games of the season and has recorded nine tackles. He was effective in single coverage against Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in the season opener.
For the season, Stingley has allowed four catches for 37 yards and no scores on six targets. He had made significant strides during the offseason and preseason, including adding muscle to his upper body.
A former Pro Bowl selection with the Seattle Seahawks cut by the Jaguars in March after signing a three-year, $44.5 million contract in 2021, Griffin was signed to a one-year deal with a maximum value of $4.5 million with $3 million guaranteed this offseason. Griffin has been targeted twice this season, allowing one catch for 29 yards. Griffin has 329 career tackles and six interceptions.
Stingley Jr. didn’t allow a touchdown pass as a rookie, displaying the athleticism and coverage skills the Texans envisioned when they selected him instead of cornerback Sauce Gardner, who was named All-Pro as a rookie with the New York Jets after being drafted fourth overall.
Stingley Jr. embraces the pressure of playing an unforgiving position where every step is on display while isolated in single coverage. As a top corner, Stingley Jr. is tasked with matching wits and footwork with some of the best athletes in the game.
Stingley Jr. made a full recovery from a Lisfranc foot injury last year after being limited him to three games as a junior before declaring early for the draft. He had previously dealt with an ankle injury and an illness as a sophomore while excelling and being named first-team All-Southeastern Conference for the second time. Stingley Jr. intercepted 27 passes during his high school career. He was a five-star recruit and ranked first overall by Rivals and a finalist for the National Gatorade Player of the Year.
Stingley Jr. got better and better as the season went on, including a key interception of Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence in the end zone during a road victory.
Targeted 54 times overall, Stingley allowed 34 completions for 409 yards as a rookie.
Stingley Jr. injured his leg against the New York Giants last November. His hamstring injury was more severe than the Texans acknowledged initially for competitive reasons. Before he got hurt, Stingley recorded one interception, one sack, five pass breakups, no touchdowns, an opposing passer rating of 78.4 and a 63-percent completion percentage against him. He played 97 percent of the Texans’ defensive snaps before getting hurt.
The Texans rank 11th in pass defense this season. Although they have suffered more injuries across the offensive line, they have been hit hard in the secondary, too.
Thomas broke a bone in his hand Sunday against the Colts, played the entire game with a soft cast and underwent surgery Tuesday, per a league source. He’s out at least a week or two.
And Pitre, who led the Texans with 147 tackles and five interceptions last season, remains sidelined for the second week in a row with a bruised lung sustained while blitzing Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson and taking a knee to the chest.
It's not an ideal situation playing against a Jaguars offense headlined by quarterback Trevor Lawrence and wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk.
“Lawrence gets the ball out really quickly, I think fastest in the NFL,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We have to be tight in our coverage and we have to tackle well in space. Ball is going to be out, the space, the RPOs, the screens, we know it’s coming. Now, we have to make sure we’re on our job, details, setting the edge, making the ball cut back inside and our guys are running.”