The Houston Texans committed to bolstering their pass defense this offseason. The team signed cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. to a $90 million extension and landed safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Texans also brought in Ronald Darby but they’ll have to move forward without the veteran cornerback on the roster.

After 10 seasons in the league, Darby announced he is retiring from the NFL, according to Adam Schefter on X.

The Texans had just signed Darby to a one-year, $2.5 million contract in March. The 31-year-old defensive back was added as a depth piece behind starting corners Stingley and Kamari Lassiter.

Ronald Darby told the Texans he’s done

Nov 7, 2021; Arlington, Texas, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Ronald Darby (21) breaks up a pass intended for Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) during the second half at AT&T Stadium.
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Darby was selected in the second round of the 2015 draft by the Buffalo Bills. He played for six different teams over the next 10 years, winning Super Bowl 52 with the Eagles after the 2017 season.

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The Texans had shown interest in Darby previously, bringing the cornerback in for a workout prior to the 2023 season. However, he ended up signing with the Baltimore Ravens that year.

Darby spent last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played 13 games and racked up 46 total tackles and nine passes defended. But despite the solid stats, Darby’s coverage grade dropped from 71.7 in 2023 to 59.3 last season, per PFF.

The Texans are looking to build on back-to-back 10-7 finishes under head coach DeMeco Ryans. Houston has won the AFC South each of the last two seasons advancing to the Divisional Round each year.

After a strong debut season that earned him Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, quarterback C.J. Stroud regressed a bit in 2023. Now he’s looking to return to form in his third season as a contract extension looms for the Texans.

Houston is hoping that second-round draft pick Jayden Higgins can help Stroud bounce back. The 6’4” wideout from Iowa was the 34th overall player selected in the draft as the Texans targeted the receiver to fill the void following Stefon Diggs’ departure.