San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans before an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Three Stars Texans Could Trade for in 2024
The Houston Texans got a taste of greatness in 2023. Franchise quarterback C.J. Stroud and head coach DeMeco Ryans have turned the Texans from cellar dwellers to division winners in a season. Jumping into the next tier of AFC contenders will require both internal development and external acquisitions. Fortunately for Houston, it has both the cap space and the draft capital necessary to make said moves. They’ll certainly look to add in free agency, but if the Texans decide to move draft picks for veteran players, who could they target?
1. Derrick Brown, defensive tackle, Carolina Panthers
If there’s a recipe for cooking up trades, it starts with players on expiring deals and little to no dead cap in the event of a trade. According to Over the Cap, that won’t be an issue with Carolina. Of course, prying Brown away from the Panthers is far from a guarantee. It likely begins with a first-round pick, even with just a year remaining on his deal. Brown is set to make just over $11.6 million, and his next contract is likely going to be close to double that. Given that Stroud’s rookie contract is just beginning, Houston finds itself in a window where spending is less consequential. A potential nine-figure deal would put a dent in the Texans’ salary cap – now is the time to spend big.
Brown is as versatile as he is powerful. He ranked 31st in pressures among qualified defensive tackles, 16th in Pro Football Focus’ pass-rush grade, and 24th in pass-rush win rate. If he’s Houston’s replacement for defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, the Texans will be better for it.
2. Justin Simmons, safety, Denver Broncos
Houston’s secondary was prone to giving up explosive plays, but adding a safety of Simmons’ caliber does more than just shoring up the back seven. Simmons is an incredible run defender and, while he had a down year in coverage, his track record of ball production – 30 interceptions and 30 pass breakups – should provide some optimism. Denver is staring down the barrel of a rebuild after quarterback Russell Wilson and head coach Sean Payton weren’t as happy of a marriage as initially anticipated. If the Broncos are indeed selling ahead of the 2024 season, trading a safety heading into his age-31 season makes sense.
Simmons is likely worth less than Brown on the trade market and has just one season left. His dead cap hit is less than $4 million and he would offer a much safer projection than any safety in this year’s class.
3. Najee Harris, running back, Pittsburgh Steelers
It may be generous to call Harris a star, but if the Texans are searching for a complement to running back Devin Singletary (assuming he gets re-signed), Harris would fit the bill. Dameon Pierce came into the season as the incumbent starter, but his struggles to acclimate to offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s wide zone scheme rendered Singletary the workhorse. Harris was outshined by Steelers back Jaylen Warren, and that development may send the former first-round pick out of town. For all the criticism, Harris has still put up 1,000 yards in each of his three professional seasons. With less pressure and a reshaped role before free agency, Harris is a proven commodity that could go for the price of a Day 3 pick, should Pittsburgh be willing to move on.
It may be more likely that the Steelers feel one year of quality committee play is better than whatever draft pick Houston would send back. If not, he’d be a boost to the Texans’ red zone offense and a bigger back for short-yardage situations.
