With elite draft capital and key offensive line needs, the Texans are poised for a major draft-day move. Will they trade up for a foundational piece?
The NFL draft is ahead. As free agency cools and NFL teams are making less and less moves, many are looking forward to where their team will go with their draft selections. Some are looking to teams with later draft picks as candidates to trade up in the first round.
Slotted as the No. 28 overall pick in the first round, the Houston Texans are an interesting team to watch in regard to draft trades. One analyst views the team as a prime trade up candidate.
Sayre Bedinger of NFL spin zone wrote on why the Texans are an "obvious trade up team." Bedinger detailed that belief.
"The Texans currently have just two of their own picks in the first four rounds (1st round, 2nd round), but other trades have set them up with some elite capital for a team that lost in the Divisional Round of the playoffs last season.
Of course, Houston could keep all of those picks and add as many new pieces as possible, but when you have three picks in the top 59 overall -- and a team this close to title contention -- it could make a lot of sense for Texans GM Nick Caserio to move up the board for the player he wants the most.
The one area of this roster that would probably necessitate a move up the board is the offensive line. And this year's draft could present the perfect opportunity for the Texans to move up to get a foundational piece for that unit. Players like Francis Mauigoa, Vega Ioane, Spencer Fano, Kadyn Proctor, Monroe Freeling, and Caleb Lomu have all been projected somewhere in the top 25 or so picks this offseason."
Houston Texans guard Ed Ingram (69) during play against Baltimore Ravens cornerback Keyon Martin (38) during the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Rafael Suanes-Imagn ImagesHouston owns the No. 28, 38, 59, 69 and 106 overall picks with which to make a move. How high they want to go is up for debate, but if the team wants to secure a starting right tackle, trading up might be the move.
The Texans' offensive line offseason is well documented. Houston re-signed some key players and added headliners in Cleveland's Wyatt Teller and Indianapolis' Braden Smith. Those moves notwithstanding; some still see a vacancy at right tackle after the Texans traded Tytus Howard to the Cleveland Browns for more draft capital.
Can Houston address offensive line in the first round with a real difference maker? That all depends on how far the top offensive linemen fall. In a draft where some of the best players are at safety (Caleb Downs, Ohio State), running back (Jeremiyah Love) and linebacker (Sonny Styles, Ohio State), players from more premium positions like tackle could fall farther than they normally do. Add in the surplus of quality edge rushers and wide receivers and it's a recipe for the Texans to trade into range for an impact first round offensive lineman.
A perfect storm could be brewing for Houston to solidify its offensive line. The month of April will reveal whether or not the Texans are done addressing the line or if they can make it even stronger for next season for 2026.