7 teams that must make a trade before the deadline

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans are no strangers to trading, as former head coach/GM Bill O’Brien made clear when he tried to emulate Bill Belichick.

But O’Brien was no NFL genius, and he put the Texans franchise in a deep, dark hole they are still clawing their way out of. Ironically, what could help this team build for a better future is the same system that got them here in the first place.

The Texans will never see the light of playoffs until they resolve their Deshaun Watson situation. Watson was statistically the best quarterback in several categories in 2020, but unresolved allegations are keeping him off the field for a team he didn’t even want to play for anymore.

Houston made a play this season by signing Phillip Lindsay, Mark Ingram and David Johnson on short deals, but all these running backs will become free agents in 2022. Their play without Watson hasn’t worked, as the team is 1-5, so the Texans could trade their depth to the teams above to make all involved parties better in the long run.

For example, Brandin Cooks will waste away in Houston, but he could become a difference-maker in New Orleans. Phillip Lindsay could lend his legs to carry the Ravens through a potential playoff run, and Whitney Mercilus could offer his gifts to a Chiefs team in dire need.

With an eye on the future, Nick Caserio has a chance to build the kind of squad he did in New England: now’s the time to stock up on draft capital and apply those smarts toward future playoff runs.