An Incredible Draft-Day Trade May Depend on The Texans

2023 NFL Draft
Apr 26, 2018; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys on the clock in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Recently, my co-host for Notes from the North – Sam – pointed out something interesting about the Houston Texans on PFF. Most teams have specific positions identified as areas of need; the Texans simply have “every position.” It may seem harsh, but PFF is onto something: the Texans need a major infusion of talent. As a result, it’ll likely be tough to discern which way they’ll go in the opening round.

Be that as it may, rival teams may have a hunch. If word gets out that Houston is in love with a particular player at #13, then Minnesota’s 12th pick becomes more valuable.

Envision a scenario where the QBs end up getting pushed down the board. Rather than see multiple go in the top 10 like in recent years, teams opt for high-end corners, receivers, offensive linemen, and edge rushers. A team like the Saints or Steelers may feel compelled to hop over Houston to get their next quarterback.

In an ideal world, Minnesota would even have two teams looking to get ahead of the Texans. That’s a scenario where the draft trade haul could be massive for the Minnesota Vikings. Don’t forget that the Bears sent out a future first and more to go get Justin Fields last season. Obviously, we all want to have the immediate satisfaction of getting talented players for this season, but picking up a 2023 first is a very smart thing to do.

Apparently, Houston isn’t getting too much interest in the #3 selection. They’ll likely snag one of this year’s best corners, o-linemen, or edge rushers. My guess is they’ll choose Sauce Gardner. At 13, it’s a lot more open. The reality of their uncertainty at QB, though, does make one wonder if teams will be nervous about them getting one of this year’s more promising passers.

The Minnesota Vikings would thus be wise to be open for business when it comes to a draft trade.



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