The Houston Texans are in the midst of a top-to-bottom rebuild of their entire organization. Former 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans has become Houston's third head coach in as many seasons. The roster is certain to be vastly different this fall compared to last. Plus, to top it all off they hold the second overall pick in the NFL Draft.
However, the Texans might have a bit of an issue. The Chicago Bears hold the first overall pick, and where the Texans need a quarterback, the Bears certainly don't. Justin Fields fills that role in the Windy City and looks to be getting better at doing so each and every day. Teams that hold the first overall pick and have their franchise quarterback tend to listen to offers from teams who need one.
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Needless to say, the Texans aren't the only team needing a franchise quarterback. Could they make the jump up from two to one to guarantee they get their guy? More than likely not, but what kind of offer would it take if they did? The last team to acquire the first overall pick was the Rams in 2016, who took Jared Goff. They paid a hefty price to get that pick off the Titans. The Rams traded their first three picks in each of the 2016 and 2017 drafts. The Titans, of course, used those picks to build the team that took them to the 2019 AFC Championship Game.
However, they were moving from 15 to one, so they likely had to pay more in draft capital. Enough history though, how about we play hypotheticals for a moment. Let's take a look at a potential offer from the Texans to the Bears for first overall.
Texans trade: Second overall, Brandin Cooks, 2024 first round pick
It's been reported in recent days that Houston is feeling out and listening to offers for wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who seems like he might be the most traded player in NFL history. He's an easy piece to include here as a reliable target for Justin Fields to throw to. Assuming you're not completely under the influence, second overall is a given, there's no way you can reasonably expect to get any trade done that doesn't include it.
General sentiment guides that first overall is worth three first-round picks. Since the Texans are only moving up one slot here, let's assume the Bears play nice and give them a bit of a discount for throwing in Brandin Cooks. That leaves next year's first, which you'd assume would still be a pretty good pick given the state of Houston's roster. Likely somewhere in the sixth to 12th overall range, but still very good.
This trade guarantees Houston the quarterback they want, in addition to preserving loads of picks for them to use on the rest of the roster. It also frees up a good deal of cap space with Brandin Cooks' contract off the books. In short, it provides both teams the flexibility to build contenders. Not only that, but both teams will also be able to get who they want with their first pick. It's widely assumed the Bears will more likely than not stick at first overall so they can take Georgia's Jalen Carter. Moving down to second wouldn't change that, the Texans need a quarterback first and foremost.
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