Houston Texans reward defensive cornerstone with record-setting extension

HISTORIC DEAL!

Texans Jalen Pitre, Derek Stingley Jr.
Jalen Pitre just got paid! Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images.

The Texans flurry of offseason extensions continues as Houston has secured one of the top defenders in its secondary. According to multiple reports, Jalen Pitre is now the highest-paid nickel in the NFL.

Pitre has agreed to a 3-year, $39 million extension with over $29 million in guarantees. Pitre joins pass rusher Danielle Hunter and star corner Derek Stingley, who have also received massive extensions this offseason with Houston.

Pitre has been a key piece of DeMeco Ryans' defense and is now being recognized for it. It was a massive blow for Houston when Pitre went down for the year in Week 12 last season with a torn pectoral muscle.

During Pitre's three seasons with the Texans he's recorded a sack, two forced fumbles, six interceptions, 21 passes defended, and 296 tackles.

The Texans secondary is absolutely loaded for the foreseeable future with Stingley Jr., breakout rookie corner Kamari Lassiter, Super Bowl winning safety CJ Gardner-Johnson, Jimmie Ward, and standout rookie safety Calen Bullock.

Good luck, AFC South quarterbacks!

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The Angels beat the Astros, 3-0. Composite Getty Image.

José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.

Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.

There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.

Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.

Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.

He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.

Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.

Key moment

The home run by Peraza.

Key stat

It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.

Up next

LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.

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