If you were to take a quick gander at Houston’s upcoming slate of games, you’ll quickly realize that they’re currently at the base of a terrifying mountain of opponents. Seahawks, 49ers, and Broncos, oh
my! If the Texans have their eye on a surging towards a winning record, then they will have to steel themselves for the turbulence that lies ahead.
Though, that isn’t to say their star quarterback, CJ Stroud, hasn’t earned the luxury of confidence after his recent performance. He and new offensive coordinator Nick Caley have plenty to be proud of after their dismantling of the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens, outscoring the two opponents 70-10. But, better defenses like those residing in Seattle and San Francisco will certainly put Stroud’s positive momentum to the test. It looks like the new lineup of Texans receivers are starting to gel with their signal caller, but none have the experience to dominate top-end defenses.
So, as the crucial midseason slate approaches, what can general manager Nick Caserio do to shift the odds towards his quarterback’s favor? Well, as I’m sure he would agree, it’s about time to consult the trade market for available players! While the trade-deadline frenzy of activity holds no candle to the sheer mania Caserio engages in during free agency or the draft, this period before the November 4th deadline can suffice as a final tuneup for the Texans. Every year, there are several offensive and defensive starters available on the trade block in the middle of the season, creating a unique contest of resource management between GMs. As one team searches for that final piece to an all-star cast, another team hunts for a new body to replace their injured starter. Some teams look for the overlooked players who could contribute intermittently during a playoff run, and other teams – like the Cleveland Browns this year – become the dealers of the bunch.
So, who’s available? Well, after filing through several depth charts, here are my top five players the Houston Texans should target before the trade deadline:
5. RB Breece Hall
You can look in the mirror and tell yourself that Nick Chubb and Woody Marks are good enough running backs to get your team through a successful season on the ground, or you can avoid the question altogether by trading for current New York Jets running back Breece Hall. While Chubb has been a pleasant surprise and my adoration of Woody Marks knows no bounds, I still wouldn’t mind another starting-caliber back on the roster that can take the lion’s share of carries in the event of emergency or desperation.
Houston’s previous star back, Joe Mixon, still remains shrouded in mystery for the most part, with general manager Nick Caserio only recent statement on the matter being, ‘”[Mixon’s] making progress, so we wouldn’t put a particular timetable on it. I think over the next three or four weeks we’ll probably get more information here, kind of see how he’s progressing.” Caserio is hoping that the team will know if Mixon is playing this season at all sometime in the next three or four weeks, so…if he’s playing at all, it won’t be for very long. Whatever this foot/leg/turf toe injury really is, it’s enough to have tainted the optimism I formerly had for Mixon and set my mind on finding who will be his heir apparent. Woody Marks very well could be RB1 in the future, but until that future arrives, Breece Hall remains a perfect remedy to Houston’s rushing difficulties.
Since his achilles tear that ended a remarkable 2022 rookie campaign, Hall has been virtually indestructible for the Jets. He compiled back-to-back seasons of 1,300+ yards from scrimmage and 8+ touchdowns, and he’s already up to 500 this season so far. He may not have the elusiveness of Saquon Barkely or the sheer power of Joe Mixon, but Hall has the juice to be an integral piece to a playoff-caliber offense based in Houston. On top of that, Hall’s recent cryptic instagram post may be alluding to his availability on the trade block:
4. WR Tre Tucker
Another wide receiver may seem like the last thing this offense needs, especially with the gradual ascension of rookie Iowa State Cyclones Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel…but hear me out! Don’t you think there’s always room for more speed? More 4.40s sprinters catching photogenic passes from CJ Stroud? More stretching of the defenses? I sure do, and Tre Tucker will add plenty more of that!
Tucker may not get Texans fans leaping out of their seat if he were to join the team, but his recent chemistry with Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith has made me wonder what he’d be capable of with CJ Stroud, instead. Just check out these plays:
Current Texans receivers Christian Kirk and Jaylin Noel are capable of filling this “speedster” role, and the eventual return of Tank Dell will give Stroud the chance to throw to one of his favorite targets in 2023. But, why stop there? Why not trade for Tre Tucker and add even more explosive ammunition to the team? The Texans have had a history of seeing their offenses decline when the vertical threat is removed from the equation (see: Will Fuller in 2018-2019, Tank Dell in 2024), so in a season as supposedly important as this one, why not add some insurance to the position? An offense like Nick Caley’s thrives on mismatch opportunities, and Tucker’s speed and recent development as a route runner could amount to many easy completions for Stroud as the season wears on.
3. LB Jordyn Brooks
Offense is clearly the focus of this list, especially considering the state of disparity between it and the Texans’ defense. The defense has been nothing short of masterful thus far in the 2025 season, leading the league in points and fourth in yards. There isn’t a whole lot of room for improvement on this team, but if you held me down and forced a name out of me, I’d squeak out in a broken voice, “LB Henry To’oTo’o…”
To’oTo’o was one of my very favorite players of 2024. Unassumingly stepping into a starting role for an injured Christian Harris, To’oTo’o practically picked up where Harris left off and became the leading tackler on one of the very best defenses in the NFL. He was a drive-killer for many games in 2024, but in 2025, his struggles in tackling have returned in a big way. What was thought to have been exercised in 2024 returns once again, and despite my belief that To’oTo’o will get back on track, I think the Texans would be remiss not to hit the market in search of a better tackling linebacker.
Enter Jordyn Brooks, one of the best tacklers in the NFL. Brooks a similar size overall to To’oTo’o, but has excelled more in the NFL thanks to possessing a level of athleticism and inertia that would make To’oTo’o blush. Brooks was a speeding cannon ball while in college, blasting towards any ball carrier silly enough to get in his way. In the NFL, Brooks’ speed and brutality have been nullified a bit thanks to the increased speed of the professional league, but his career has enjoyed a bit a of renaissance in Miami. Considering the Dolphins are 1-5, I wouldn’t put it past them to just go full reset and trade one of their best defenders. This would be luxury spending in Nick Caerio’s eyes, but if the Texans decided to trade for Jordyn Brooks, they may end up with the best defense in the NFL.
2. G/T Teven Jenkins
This was still one of the most head scratching free agency events of the 2025 offseason. Teven Jenkins played at a near pro-bowl level with the Chicago Bears in 2024, and not only did they let him walk into free agency, but he went untouched by all NFL teams until late March when the Cleveland Browns pick him up on just a 1-year, $3.05 million deal. He was widely expected to get a starting-caliber contract from a guard-hungry team in free agency, and instead became a backup on a team that doesn’t need more guards. Now, if a talented, young player like Jenkins sitting with an undervalued contract like that doesn’t get Nick Caserio’s attention, I don’t know what will!
It may sound odd pining for a backup and once injured guard to be a trade target for your team. It may sound especially weird considering that Cleveland’s two starters at that position, Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio, are reportedly available on the trade block, according to Adam Schefter.
Teller and Bitonio make up one of the best guard duos in the NFL right now, but Bitonio’s age and Teller’s recent declining performance egg me towards preferring Jenkins in Battle Red the most of all. He’s young, on a very affordable one-year contract, and has NFL experience at both guard positions and at left tackle. Based on his performance in 2024, I think Jenkins would make the perfect backup lineman for the Houston Texans, capable of filling in at multiple positions and playing at a high level.
1. TE David Njoku
At this juncture of the regular season, it is my assessment that Houston’s weakest position group is tight end. Dalton Schultz has absorbed a heavy load on this Nick Caley offense, and to his credit, has performed admirably. But, he won’t be able to bear that weight all season long. Currently, his backups are Harrison Bryant and Brenden Bates. Houston traded for Bryant during the postseason, released him just one week later, then re-signed him after Cade Stover broke his foot in week one, and Bates only amounted to 41 snaps split between the Jets and Browns as a rookie last year. Good luck finding anyone that is satisfied with this current tight end’s room, because to me, this team is in desperate need of a tight end like David Njoku.
Njoku has been the Browns’ starting tight end since they drafted him 29th overall in 2017. He’s been a rock for an otherwise turbulent franchise, averaging over 600 yards a season in his nine years catching passes from one of 17 different Browns quarterbacks. He’s largely a receiving tight end, but his blocking ability is underrated and could be taken advantage of by a coordinator like Caley. Njoku is a big and deadly threat downfield and a veritable mismatch for any would-be tackler after the catch, so a favorite target of Stroud he very much would be. The combination of Njoku and Schultz may not set the world on fire, but to a coordinator like Nick Caley, it would be more than enough to push the quick-pass offense to the next level.
That’s my list! Really, if you go by Adam Schefter’s list of tradeable players, there are a lot of intriguing options for Nick Caserio and the Texans to deliberate on. And they may need it – not only could the Texans use the extra talent at their weakest position groups, but their shallow depth at certain positions could prove to be their achilles heel at the end of the season. Multiple injuries to the tight end and defensive back positions has already pushed backups into significant roles on the team, so fishing at the trade deadline for extra depth should be just up their alley. If this year really is one where the Super Bowl is within reach, or at the very least a playoff win, then engaging the trade market may be a requirement.
What do you think, though? Should the Texans mortgage their future for an immediate starter, or is Nick Caserio better off saving his draft picks? Do the Texans need another quality tight end, or is their current depth chart good enough until Cade Stover returns? Let us know what you think the Texans should do at the trade deadline down in the comments below!
GO TEXANS!!!
