Battle Red Blog
If you were to take a quick gander at Houston’s upcoming slate of games, you’ll quickly realize that they’re currently at the base of a terrifying mountain of opponents. Seahawks, 49ers, and Broncos, oh my! If the Texans have their eye on a surging towards a winning record, then they will have to steel themselves for the turbulence that lies ahead.
Though, that isn’t to say their star quarterback, CJ Stroud, hasn’t earned the luxury of confidence after his recent performance. He and new offensive coordinator Nick Caley have plenty to be proud of after their dismantling of the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens, outscoring the two opponents 70-10. But, better defenses like those residing in Seattle and San Francisco will certainly put Stroud’s positive momentum to the test. It looks like the new lineup of Texans receivers are starting to gel with their signal caller, but none have the experience to dominate top-end defenses.
So, as the crucial midseason slate approaches, what can general manager Nick Caserio do to shift the odds towards his quarterback’s favor? Well, as I’m sure he would agree, it’s about time to consult the trade market for available players! While the trade-deadline frenzy of activity holds no candle to the sheer mania Caserio engages in during free agency or the draft, this period before the November 4th deadline can suffice as a final tuneup for the Texans. Every year, there are several offensive and defensive starters available on the trade block in the middle of the season, creating a unique contest of resource management between GMs. As one team searches for that final piece to an all-star cast, another team hunts for a new body to replace their injured starter. Some teams look for the overlooked players who could contribute intermittently during a playoff run, and other teams – like the Cleveland Browns this year – become the dealers of the bunch.
So, who’s available? Well, after filing through several depth charts, here are my top five players the Houston Texans should target before the trade deadline:
You can look in the mirror and tell yourself that Nick Chubb and Woody Marks are good enough running backs to get your team through a successful season on the ground, or you can avoid the question altogether by trading for current New York Jets running back Breece Hall. While Chubb has been a pleasant surprise and my adoration of Woody Marks knows no bounds, I still wouldn’t mind another starting-caliber back on the roster that can take the lion’s share of carries in the event of emergency or desperation.
Houston’s previous star back, Joe Mixon, still remains shrouded in mystery for the most part, with general manager Nick Caserio only recent statement on the matter being, ‘”[Mixon’s] making progress, so we wouldn’t put a particular timetable on it. I think over the next three or four weeks we’ll probably get more information here, kind of see how he’s progressing.” Caserio is...
