The NFL trade deadline is almost here, and the Houston Texans have some real questions to answer over the next few days.
Sitting at 2-5 entering Week 9, Houston doesn’t exactly look like a team with a clear lane as either a buyer or a seller. But that uncertainty doesn’t change the job in front of the front office: make the calls, check the prices, and see which names might be available if the market lines up.
One area that stands out immediately is the run game. It has been underwhelming through the first half of the 2026 season, and the Texans will again be without David Montgomery against the LA Chargers in Week 9 because of a lingering groin injury. With Montgomery sidelined for a third straight game, Houston’s backfield is thin and lacking punch, which makes a low-cost veteran addition feel worth exploring.
That’s where Devin Singletary comes in. A reunion with the former Texan would make sense enough to at least pick up the phone and ask the Giants what it would take.
Tyrone Tracy’s move to injured reserve could mean a larger role in New York, but Singletary still offers depth and has shown he can produce in different situations. His 2023 season with Houston was one of his best, as he topped 1,000 scrimmage yards and scored four touchdowns.
If the price is a day three pick or a couple of them, the Texans could try to bring him back to complement Woody Marks and, eventually, Montgomery.
Up front, Houston could also look at a bigger swing in Landon Dickerson. The Eagles are 2-6 and could be in seller mode, which opens the door for a player like Dickerson to surface in trade talks.
For the Texans, he would fit neatly at left guard and could allow Keylan Rutledge to move to center, with Ed Ingram staying at right guard. That would give Houston a solid interior trio.
Dickerson hasn’t been at his best this year. He has a 54.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus and sits in the bottom five among eligible guards in pass-blocking grade at 36.2.
Still, that kind of season could make him a buy-low target. A fourth-round pick and another day-three selection might be enough to get Philadelphia’s attention.
Houston would also be getting a lineman who has been flagged just once so far this season, and keeping penalties down on the offensive line is a big part of what the Texans need moving forward.
The secondary is another spot that could use help. Houston has not looked nearly as sharp there as it did during its 2026 campaign, and the numbers back that up. Through eight games, the Texans rank 28th in the league in passing yards allowed at 1,708 and 20th in net yards per pass at 6.4.
Jalen Pitre’s absence has been part of the problem. Houston has played its last two games without him, though he is expected back against the Chargers after practicing Wednesday. That should help, but it shouldn’t stop the Texans from checking on nickel help if the opportunity is there.
Taron Johnson of the Las Vegas Raiders is one name that fits the bill. He’s in his age-30 season, under contract for this year and next, and has been productive during his time with both the Raiders and the Buffalo Bills.
The Raiders may prefer to keep him if they believe a Wild Card spot is still within reach, but if they decide to move an older veteran, Houston could make sense as a landing spot. A mid-round pick might be enough to get that conversation going.
In Other News...
Texans Run Game Issues Are Fueling A Trade Deadline Dilemma
Houstons running game has become one of the clearest pressure points on the roster, and it is landing right in the middle of a team that wants to lean on the ground game. Injuries to key backs have complicated the picture, and the Texans coaching staff has not been able to get the sort of consistent production needed to support the style they want to play.
So the trade deadline has started to feel like a possible escape hatch, with Derrick Henry emerging as the name that naturally fits the conversation if Baltimore were willing to listen. The Texans have draft picks and other possible assets to work with, but for now the idea remains speculative, leaving Houston to weigh whether it can fix the issue internally or has to chase a bigger answer before the deadline passes. [Read more 🡒]
C.J. Stroud's Next Texans Debate Is Getting Harder To Ignore
C.J. Strouds second season has already pushed the Texans into a familiar kind of quarterback conversation, the sort that goes beyond weekly box scores and into the long-term shape of the roster. A recent statistical look at his profile compared him with a pair of very different passers, Kirk Cousins and Caleb Williams, using a composite ranking and similarity scores built from a range of performance metrics. For Houston, that kind of comparison matters because it frames Stroud not just as a young starter, but as part of a broader quarterback class whose production and trajectory can affect how teams think about value.
The contract angle is what makes the debate harder to ignore. If Strouds statistical neighborhood includes veterans and rising young quarterbacks tied to extension discussions, then the Texans are staring at the same kind of decision every team eventually faces with a franchise passer: how to translate promising play into a deal that fits both the players standing and the teams future. The numbers do not settle the issue on their own, but they do sharpen the stakes around Strouds next chapter in Houston. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Secondary Question Could Force A Fascinating Deadline Decision
The Texans secondary is already dealing with enough uncertainty that outside help is starting to sound less like a luxury and more like a real possibility. ESPN analyst Aaron Schatz floated the idea of Houston pursuing Raiders cornerback Taron Johnson, a veteran nickel defender whose experience and versatility could give the defense another reliable option while the team waits for clarity on Jalen Pitres shoulder injury.
Johnson would fit the kind of role the Texans could use, especially if they want more depth and tactical flexibility in the back end. The bigger question is whether Houston sees the move as worth the price at the deadline, because any pursuit will have to be weighed against the rest of the roster and whatever priorities the front office decides matter most. [Read more 🡒]