The Houston Texans are now less than a week away from the NFL trade deadline .
And compared to the rest of the league and their potential activity around this time of year, the Texans aren't being viewed as the most active on the trade market. They already made one big mid-season move earlier this year by trading for Marvin Harrison Jr., and are still looking to see how that investment pays off.
However, that doesn't mean the Texans shouldn't be expected to make a move or two in the coming days.
There are a select few situations for players either in Houston or around the league that make sense to consider a potential trade on, and if the right deal comes across the table of Nick Caserio, perhaps we could see this front office pull the trigger.
With that in mind, let's sort through a bit about what we're hearing around the Texans and their trade deadline plans, along with who around the roster could be viewed as a potential mover in the near future:
Aug 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio watches during practice before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Now, it might not come as a major surprise to hear that there haven't been any rumblings around a major move being in store for the Texans . But Houston's current situation doesn't exactly put them in a bucket of being a true buyer or a seller.
The Texans are three games under .500 heading into Week 9 without a second, fifth, or sixth-round pick in this year's draft. Trading away another one of those picks for this offseason could be seen as a little too short-sighted, or even reckless to a degree.
But a selling move doesn't make a whole lot of sense either. The Texans entered this year with expectations of being one of the top teams in the AFC, and while their record might not show that right now, Houston has proven to be more than capable of a late-season turnaround, as recently as 2025.
So while the Texans could still be prone to one or two moves around the edges of the roster, a big-time swing doesn't seem to be in the cards.
Sep 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (90) after a play during the game against the Buffalo Bills at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
A name from the Texans who did pop up in some lingering trade rumors this past weekend was one of their more recent signings heading into the season: veteran edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney, who reportedly had interest building around the league from those looking to acquire help on their defensive line.
And perhaps if the Texans get an intriguing enough offer on Clowney and his expiring contract, maybe that's a move to keep in consideration. But it seems as if Clowney's entry into trade rumors is stemming more from external interest in his services rather than Houston's own desire to pivot off of him.
Clowney still fills a key role on the Texans' defensive line as a rotational edge rusher behind Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson, and the defense doesn't have any direct replacements to turn to in the event that Clowney is shipped out.
So at the very least, keep this trade idea on the radar. But don't get your hopes up that anything will come of it.
Jul 30, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans guard Wyatt Teller (75) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
This is more of a speculative gauge on the Texans' current roster. Not much buzz has come out around the front office's intentions over the next few days, and who around this current group could potentially be on the move.
But one area of the Texans' roster to keep watch for a potential surprise shakeup is the offensive line . It's a group that has improved a bit this season from their turbulent state of the past few years, but the position group has a couple of bigger-name veterans not getting the playing time you would've expected coming into the year.
Former Pro Bowler Wyatt Teller has been stuck as a reserve on the interior for all but two games this season, and veteran Braden Smith has also been stuck on the bench after starting the new season off on injured reserve.
Both names were viewed as plug-and-play starters for the Texans heading into the season, but now have seen their stock take a turn for the worst as Keylan Rutledge and Trent Brown have been the ones winning the starting gig in their respective positions.
Maybe, if the Texans are able to find another offensive-line-needy team over the coming days, they could strike on some minimal draft value to send off both Teller and Smith. Doing so could replenish Houston's lack of capital in 2027, while also giving both veterans a chance to compete for a starting spot elsewhere.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/texans/onsi as What We're Hearing About the Texans Ahead of NFL Trade Deadline .
