Texans rewarding Jalen Pitre with extension that resets the market for slot corners

Jalen Pitre has agreed to a three-year extension worth roughly $39M, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The former second-rounder was set to play on the final season of his rookie deal, meaning he is now on the books through 2028. Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero adds the contract includes $29.16M in guarantees. This accord contains a $10M signing bonus and can top out at $42.6M, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports.

Pitre was drafted as a safety, and for the most part, he occupied that role during his first two seasons in Houston. The 25-year-old handled full-time starting duties during that span, which included a five-interception rookie campaign. Pitre’s ball production took a step back in 2023, but he remained a mainstay in the secondary. Last offseason, the Texans committed to playing him at slot corner, a role he primarily handled in 2024.

While he was limited to 12 games last year, Pitre found success at his new position. The Baylor product earned a PFF grade of 73.9, easily the highest of his career. He handled a defensive snap share of 87%, and a heavy workload can obviously be expected moving forward. Houston has Stingley on the books long term, and 2024 second-rounder Kamari Lassiter represents another young player set to be a key member of the team’s secondary for years to come.

If $39M represents the base value of the contract, Pitre’s AAV of $13M represents a new high mark for slot corners. That position has not seen much in the way of upward movement relative to boundary CBs, but the Texans have once again made a notable commitment to an in-house defender. Veteran edge-rusher Danielle Hunter is also among the players who have received a lucrative extension this offseason as Houston looks to capitalize on the window of opportunity brought about by C.J. Stroud‘s rookie contract.

The Texans ranked sixth against the pass last season, and expectations will be high for their secondary again in 2025. With Stingley and now Pitre attached to long-term pacts, it will be interesting to see which position group is targeted next with respect to internal commitments.