With a crowded receiver room, Houston weighs trading a reliable pass-catcher to bolster depth as they aim for Super Bowl contention.
The Houston Texans have been very active throughout the 2026 offseason, with the franchise active in free agency and making several trades. More moves are expected as Houston looks to become a legitimate Super Bowl contender during the 2026 offseason. Some of the necessary steps have been taken so far, as the offensive line is looking better than it was during the 2025 season, and the backfield also looks different after the addition of David Montgomery.
Houston has a good bit of draft capital in the 2026 NFL Draft, and addressing some weaknesses while adding depth will be important for the team. It is also important to consider the strengths across Houston's roster, including the wide receiver position. Nico Collins is a top wide receiver in the NFL, and he is the best player on the offensive side of the ball for the Texans. Tank Dell is also expected to return to the lineup in 2026, and second-year wide outs Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel should be able to take a step forward with their game.
Those four wide receivers could make Xavier Hutchinson the odd man out, and he could certainly be dealt as he enters the final year of his rookie deal. Hutchinson was initially mentioned by Jared Koch as a player who could be traded by the Texans, "But even when factoring in the step forward, there's a world where those numbers are on a downward trend in 2025. Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel are eyeing a bigger year-two role, and Tank Dell is finally back healthy, which could end up slotting Hutchinson down as WR4 or 5 on the depth chart, and that's before any action in the draft takes place."
Hutchinson has been a solid, reliable piece of Houston's offense over the first three years of his career. He has hauled in 55 passes for over 600 yards and three touchdowns. He took a considerable step forward in 2025, but with Dell returning and two second-year wide receivers being expected to take a leap, he could be seen as expendable.
A move like this would probably only happen with the regular season right around the corner. Essentially, Houston wants to ensure that Dell is healthy and that Noel and Higgins look better than they did during their rookie seasons. This may be a move to look out for once training camp begins, and roster cut-down day is looming.