Texans Defender's Jarring Announcement Opens Door for DPOY Addition

The Houston Texans signed Ronald Darby to provide some much-needed cornerback depth behind Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter earlier this offseason, only to see Darby shockingly announce his retirement from the NFL this week.

While that means the Texans could depend on rookie corner Jaylin Smith, it doesn't seem very likely that Houston will put all of its eggs in that basket.

The good news is that there are still plenty of very viable cornerback options remaining on the free-agent market, and that includes former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore.

Gilmore spent the 2024 campaign with the Minnesota Vikings and was productive, registering 56 tackles, an interception and nine passes defended in 15 games. Is he the same dominant force he was during his peak years with the New England Patriots? No, but he is probably the best corner available, and he would comprise a terrific depth addition.

Stingley and Lassiter are both terrific, and we also know that the Texans are absolutely loaded at safety with Jalen Pitre, Calen Bullock and offseason trade addition C.J. Gardner-Johnson. But again, behind Houston's two starting cornerbacks, there are questions.

If one of Stingley or Lassiter goes down with an injury, it could create a significant problem for a Texans secondary that was fantastic last season. The last thing Houston needs is to damage a major strength, which is why Gilmore would represent a fine pickup here.

Of course, the question is whether or not Gilmore would