In 2023, the Houston Texans experienced a taste of glory. In just one season, head coach DeMeco Ryans and franchise quarterback C.J. Stroud have elevated the Texans from division losers to winners of their own division. It will take both internal development and external signings to move up to the next tier of AFC contenders. Houston is fortunate to have the cap space and draft capital required to make these moves. They will undoubtedly try to add in free agency, but who would the Texans target if they chose to trade draft picks for experienced players?
1. Derrick Brown, Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Players with deals that are about to expire and little to no dead cap in the event of a trade are the first ingredients in any recipe for successful trademaking. Over the Cap claims that won’t be a problem with Carolina. It is, of course, far from certain that Brown will be forced to leave the Panthers. Even with just one year left on his contract, it probably starts with a first-round pick. Brown’s current contract is for slightly more than $11.6 million, but his next one will probably be nearly twice that much. Stroud’s rookie deal is only getting started, thus Houston is in a position where spending has less of an impact. The Texans’ pay cap would be impacted by a possible nine-figure deal; this is the moment to make large purchases.
Brown possesses both strength and versatility. He was ranked 24th in pass-rush win rate, 16th in Pro Football Focus’ pass-rush grade, and 31st in pressures among eligible defensive tackles. The Texans will benefit if he replaces Sheldon Rankins as defensive tackle in Houston.
2. Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons Although Houston’s secondary was prone to allowing big plays, adding a safety like Simmons strengthens the defence in more ways than one. Although Simmons’s performance in coverage was lacking, his exceptional run defence skills and impressive record of 30 interceptions and 30 pass breakups should give fans hope. After learning that quarterback Russell Wilson and head coach Sean Payton weren’t as happy as people had thought, Denver is facing the prospect of a complete rebuild.
It makes sense to trade a safety before his age-31 season if the Broncos are, in fact, selling ahead of 2024. With only one season remaining, Simmons’ trade value is probably lower than Brown’s. Compared to other safety in this year’s class, he would provide a much safer projection with a dead-cap hit of less than $4 million.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris Calling Harris a star may be overstating things, but Harris would be a good fit if the Texans are looking for a running back to complement Devin Singletary (if he gets re-signed). Dameon Pierce was supposed to open the season as the starting quarterback, but Singletary ended up becoming the main man due to his inability to adjust to offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s wide zone scheme. Steelers back Jaylen Warren outplayed Harris, and this scenario could cause the former first-round choice to leave town. Harris has amassed 1,000 yards in each of his three professional seasons, despite all the criticism.
Harris is a proven commodity who, should Pittsburgh be willing to move on, could go for the price of a third-round pick with less pressure and a redesigned role prior to free agency. The Steelers might believe that a year of excellent committee play is preferable to whatever draft pick Houston would return. If not, he would provide a bigger back for short-yardage situations and strengthen the Texans’ red zone offence.
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