Winners and losers from the Texans after the trade deadline
The NFL trade deadline has passed.
The deadline was Nov. 2, and the Houston Texans only made one move on the actual date with defensive end Charles Omenihu going to the San Francisco 49ers.
So much of the NFL is played outside the lines, not just inside stadiums 60 minutes each week. Houston has been losing outside the lines for years as the Bill O’Brien era wrapped up, and the Nov. 2 deadline represented an opportunity for the Texans to start winning again.
Some deals were made. Some deals fell through. Some just need a little more time. Here are the winners and losers from the trade deadline.
Winner: WR Brandin Cooks
(AP Photo/Justin Rex)
As heartbroken and upset Cooks was with the Mark Ingram trade, Cooks doesn’t want to leave Houston, and expressed as much in the offseason. The 27-year-old receiver, who has had 1,000-yard seasons in all but two of his previous seven seasons, has some stability to end the season. Cooks also gets a shot to be a part of the Texans’ Great Reset.
Loser: QB Deshaun Watson
(AP Photo/Justin Rex)
Nov. 2 was the final aperture for Watson’s escape from Houston, and it closed. Of course, Watson’s off-field issues are a big part as to why the Texans have been unable to move the three-time Pro Bowler, in addition to settling on what exactly is fair compensation for a franchise quarterback. Watson will have to wait until the end of the season for the market to have interest again.
Winner: DE Charles Omenihu
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Omenihu was having to battle for playing time despite having progressed over the past two seasons. Getting deactivated for two games so the Texans could see what they had in Jordan Jenkins meant that Omenihu’s progress was going to be stopped in 2021. Getting out of town and going to the San Francisco 49ers may be the page-turning the former 2019 fifth-round pick from Texas needs to keep growing.
Loser: LB Zach Cunningham
(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Cunningham is another player who could use a fresh start or a reboot. Cunningham leads the Texans with nine missed tackles despite playing 271 snaps, representing 51.13% of the team’s snaps on defense. The Texans are also taking him out on nickel downs. Cunningham needs to get back to a 3-4 if a Tampa 2 isn’t for him.
Winner: GM Nick Caserio
(Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)
The Texans have nine picks in the 2022 NFL draft and 10 in the 2023 NFL draft. Caserio is stockpiling as many munitions as needed to have the firepower to truly fix Houston. As was seen in the 2021 draft, Caserio may not use all the picks; he may use them as part of packages to move up and get players he really think could help Houston.
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