The Houston Texans have been one of the most intriguing teams in the NFL over the past few years. After a dismal 2022 season, the Texans bounced back in a big way in 2023. They finished with a 10-7 record and made it to the Divisional Round of the playoffs. However, despite their success, many fans and analysts believe that the Texans still have work to do. Here, we will explore the perfect trade package that the Houston Texans must complete during the 2024 NFL offseason to take the next step and become a true contender.
The Texans' 2023 Season
The Texans had one of the NFL's most unexpected rises in 2023. A team that won only three games a year ago finished with 10 victories, a division title, and the franchise's first playoff berth since 2019. A blowout win in the Wild Card Round even established the Texans as a legitimate threat in the AFC.
The turnaround was a testament to the coaching of DeMeco Ryans and the stellar rookie season of quarterback CJ Stroud. Houston appears poised to be an AFC South contender for the foreseeable future and possibly a title contender as early as next season.
Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio have a strong foundation with which to work. However, reloading and improving the roster won't happen without effort. Now that Houston's playoff run has come to an end with a 34-10 Divisional Round loss to the Baltimore Ravens, let's dive into what lies ahead for the Texans in free agency and the draft.
The Texans' Offseason Outlook
Sure, the Texans wasted little time in their return to relevance. However, they're still in the early stages of a rebuild. This means that Caserio is likely to prioritize younger free agents who can become long-term contributors. He wants rising stars to complement guys like Stroud, Tank Dell, Will Anderson Jr, and the rest of the team's budding talents.
An ascending cornerback like Jaylon Johnson or L'Jarius Sneed should be near the top of Houston's wish list. Yes, the Texans' defense took major strides under Ryans this year. Still, it finished ranked just 27th in net yards per pass attempt allowed.
Young pass-rushers like Josh Uche and AJ Epenesa should also be on Houston's radar. Anderson is a tremendous talent, but the defense could use long-term edge players to complement him.
It would also behoove the Texans to add a premier offensive lineman, though the list of impending free agents is relatively underwhelming. A guard like Connor Williams or a right tackle like Jonah Williams could make sense. However, Caserio may not be willing to overpay with the draft looming.
Here we will look at the perfect trade that the Houston Texans must complete during this year's 2024 NFL offseason.
Trade for Aaron Donald
Texans get: DT Aaron Donald
Rams get: Two 2024 draft picks and one 2025 draft pick
The Texans are in the perfect position to take a big swing on veteran acquisitions. Remember that they outperformed expectations this past season. If the retooling Rams are looking to get a return for 32-year-old Aaron Donald, the Texans are one of the teams that could oblige. Houston, after all, is a contender with an abundant amount of salary cap space.
The odds of the Los Angeles Rams trading Donald when he has not indicated that he wants to leave are admittedly slim. That said, it makes sense on paper. The Rams shocked everyone by getting into the playoffs this season, but this still isn't a contender. Getting another first-round pick and a few others would help them continue to build through the draft.
The real fun begins when we think about what Donald could do to take this Texans defense to the next level. Assuming they can re-sign Jonathan Greenard, they would then be getting after quarterbacks with Greenard (12.5 sacks this season), Anderson Jr, and the best pass-rushing defensive tackle of all time. Combine that with Stroud's offense, and the Texans are a real Super Bowl contender.
If the Texans could somehow convince the Rams to part ways with Donald, his addition would create arguably the best defensive front in all of the NFL. The potential combination of Greenard, Anderson Jr, and Donald would be extremely hard to pass up for Houston. Yes, that's regardless of the haul they send back.
Remember also that Jerry Hughes, Sheldon Rankins, Derek Barnett, and Hassan Ridgeway are all pending free agents. This means the addition of a talent like Donald makes even more sense. That said, it is hard to imagine the Rams moving on from him unless they are blown away by a potential trade offer.
Worth it?
On paper, that’s a lot to give up for a soon-to-be 33-year-old star who may retire in the not-do-distant future. Having said that, if the Texans could get assurance that Donald would sign an extension, a trade like this would be worthwhile.
Donald is a generational defensive player who single-handedly takes over games like few other players. Even with 10 NFL seasons under his belt, Donald remains one of football’s elite-tier players.
The Texans won the AFC South with a 10-7 record and went all the way to the Divisional Round. Adding a future Hall of Famer and 10-time Pro Bowler like Donald could be the final piece needed to help the Texans take that next step into becoming a title contender.
Looking Ahead
The Houston Texans have made significant strides in 2023. However, to truly contend for a Super Bowl, they must make a bold move in the 2024 offseason. Acquiring Aaron Donald would be that move. Yes, the price will be very steep. That said, the Texans must understand that acquiring a player of Donald's caliber is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Texans must be willing to part with some of their top draft assets to acquire Donald. On the flip side, the long-term benefits would be well worth it. The Texans have the potential to be a dominant team, but they must be willing to take risks to achieve greatness.
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