One feeling I will never forget from my grade school days was watching the kids from my neighborhood having fun outside while I was on punishment and couldn’t leave the house.

They were playing football, hide and seek, or sometimes just standing around, talking and being jovial, as I kept looking out the window while they enjoyed themselves.

I imagine that is what Houston Texans Executive Vice President and General Manager Nick Caserio must have been feeling on Tuesday as he watched the rest of the AFC South division improve before the NFL trade deadline, which ended at 4 p.m. EST.

Caserio is not known for making big deals throughout the regular season, as he has hinted in the past that he does not like to give up draft capital for a player who will only be around for a short period.

He prefers to make deals during the offseason and use his picks wisely in the draft.

Even with the struggles that have affected Houston’s offense, where they desperately needed an offensive lineman and an extra running back, Caserio remained firm and conveyed that the current roster is what the organization believes can build momentum and still make a playoff push.

While the Texans made phone calls, nothing came of it, except for the pleasantries exchanged between Caserio and other general managers around the league.

The biggest move that shook up the rest of the NFL and the AFC South was made by the divisional-leading Indianapolis Colts, a team Houston will face twice later this season.

Indianapolis has surprised many with its 7-2 start, one of the best records in the league, and on Tuesday, it strengthened its defense by acquiring former NFL All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner from the New York Jets. In exchange, they sent two first-round picks in 2026 and 2027, along with their 2023 second-round pick, receiver Adonai Mitchell.

Caserio also watched as this week’s opponent, the Jacksonville Jaguars, acquired wide receiver Jakobi Meyers from the Las Vegas Raiders for a 2026 fourth-round pick and a sixth-round pick in that same draft.

Jacksonville needed another offensive weapon for quarterback Trevor Lawrence, especially with the uncertainty surrounding the return of rookie cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, whose offensive reps were increasing before he suffered an injury in practice that placed him on injured reserve.

The Jags have also watched one of the most talented receivers in the NFL, Brian Thomas Jr., struggle with drops and making completed catches this season, which is why they acquired Meyers for his ability to secure the ball. 

Despite their 3-5 record, Houston is 1-1 in the division with four games remaining (Jacksonville-1, Tennessee-1, Indianapolis-2) against divisional opponents and still has an outside chance to make the playoffs for the third straight year.

It will take a lot of setbacks from those teams and extraordinary performances from quarterback C.J. Stroud and the rest of the offense to pull off such a feat. However, in 2023, the Texans faced the same odds and overcame them at the end of the season, winning the AFC South title.