With Odell Beckham done for the year, could the Texans trade Will Fuller to the Browns?
The Cleveland Browns will be without Pro Bowl receiver Odell Beckham for the rest of the season as he tore his ACL in the team’s 37-34 win over the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday.
The Browns are 5-2, but are in third place in a highly competitive AFC North that features the 6-0 Pittsburgh Steelers and 5-1 Baltimore Ravens. Cleveland needs to do what it must to keep pace, especially given they are four games away from posting their first winning season since 2007. Throw in the fact the NFL added an extra playoff team per conference, and the Browns could also be on the verge of their first postseason berth since 2002.
Cleveland is a team in contention.
Contrast that with the Houston Texans. At 1-6, their shot of winning the division is dwindling as the Tennessee Titans are 5-1 and already beat Houston. The Indianapolis Colts are 4-2. The Texans still have to face the Colts twice, the Titans, and Chicago Bears. Already needing a ride a wave of perfection just to get into the playoffs, the Texans’ chances of getting into the playoffs are slim.
The Browns have a need, and so do the Texans.
Because of the past regime’s moves, Houston’s first and second round picks for 2021 went to the Miami Dolphins to acquire Laremy Tunsil. As such, the Dolphins will be the big beneficiaries from Houston’s disastrous finish.
Even if the Texans do nothing at the trade deadline, they go into the offseason missing two picks in the top-100 while trying to orchestrate a soft rebuild.
Houston needs draft picks.
The former 2016 first-round pick from Notre Dame is in the final year of his contract. By sending Fuller to Cleveland for draft picks, it allows him to showcase what he can do for a team in contention and get a head start on free agency. It could also help the Texans stock the cupboard draft picks wise. Even if they get a third or lower for Fuller, they can combine that with their other picks to get back into the top-100 and start picking players who can really help the team.
With the trade deadline looming, the Texans need to be sellers and start looking at putting themselves in the best position to win 2021 as their current chances are probably shot.
