The Houston Texans have no desire to moveAll-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. for draft picks.
In fact, the face of the franchise might be among the NFL's top 10 untouchable options on the market, so even discussing what a deal could look like for the future Defensive Player of the Year would be foolish.
But let's just have some fun and pretend that the Texans are open for business with every player on the roster. What would be a fair compensation for the fourth-year defender who might just be reaking the start of his peak entering 2026?
The Athleticrecently polled 20 voters around the NFL, including coaches, executives and scouting department members, who all ranked the top players in terms of value for draft compensation. Two-time Defensive
Player of the Year Myles Garrett took the top spot, earning what would start at the equivalent of five first-round picks.
Anderson, who became the highest-paid non-QB in the league this offseason, was paired alongside both Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Denver Broncos All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II as the only players worthy of three total first-round picks.
"Anderson, the No. 3 pick in 2023, is one of the league’s blossoming young stars," the Athletic's Jeff Howe wrote. "His 23 sacks over the last two seasons ranked sixth in the NFL, and he had the most in that span by anyone under age 25."
“Two first-round picks for him,” an assistant coach said. “Oh yeah, you can do that.”
Since entering the NFL, Anderson has improved in every stage of the sport. Not only is one of the game's best pass-rushers, but teams have a negative rushing effect when targeting his of the field, thus opening more opportunites for the rest of the defensive line to feast.
Most would argue that behind Garrett, Anderson is the best defensive player in the NFL entering 2026. Come to the season's end and he might have surprassed him.
To read the full list of voters, click here.
The Texans open the regular season at home against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 13.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: How much would it cost to land Texans Will Anderson Jr. via trade? The Athletic weighs in
