The trade chatter around Jadeveon Clowney picked up over Houston’s Week 8 bye, but the Texans’ position on the veteran edge rusher is starting to come into focus.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Clowney was drawing interest from teams ahead of next Tuesday’s trade deadline, which naturally raised the question of whether Houston might actually move him. That idea carried some surprise, given that Clowney was viewed as one of the final pieces added to the Texans’ defensive line earlier this offseason and has opened his second stint in Houston with a slow but solid start.
For now, though, the Texans do not appear to be pushing him out the door. According to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, Houston is not actively shopping Clowney as the deadline nears, and Clowney himself has not asked to be traded.
#Texans aren't actively shopping three-time Pro Bowl edge Jadeveon Clowney, per a league source, and he isn't seeking a trade. Simply, the usual process of #NFL teams checking on several proven players' potential availability heading into trade deadline
That makes the outside interest easier to understand. Clowney is a proven veteran pass rusher on a cheap one-year deal, and teams looking for help off the edge could see him as a useful addition, especially if they need a player who can help against the run and still bring some pass-rush value.
Through the five games he has played this season, Clowney has recorded nine total tackles, two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. His defensive snap share has also been lower than what he saw early in the year, sitting at less than 40%.
Even with Houston sitting at 2-5, the Texans have little reason to give him away. They are still trying to stay in the AFC race, and whatever draft compensation they might get back would be minor compared with what they’re chasing now.
That said, Houston could still hear out calls from other teams before the deadline. If the Texans fall to 2-6 after a Week 9 loss to the LA Chargers, the thinking around a possible move could change.
Until then, the signs point to Clowney staying put and continuing in his role as Houston’s third defensive end behind Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter.
In Other News...
Texans Fans Have A Real Reason To Worry About Cole Popovich
The Saints decision to move on from run-game coordinator T.J. Paganetti is a reminder of how quickly NFL patience can run out when a rushing attack stalls, and it puts a sharper spotlight on the Texans own concerns up front. Houston offensive line coach and run-game coordinator Cole Popovich has been under scrutiny for a unit that has lingered near the bottom of the league in several rushing and blocking categories across the 2025 and 2026 seasons, a stretch that has kept the conversation around the offensive line from going away.
Popovich has earned respect elsewhere in his career, but the Texans have not gotten the kind of consistent line play that would quiet the criticism. Injuries and roster turnover have complicated the picture, yet the results have still left his future with the team in question, especially with the pressure only growing on a staff trying to fix the ground game. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Backfield Shuffle Puts Fresh Focus On Their Depth Plan
The Texans made another quiet tweak to the bottom of their roster as they head into the second half of the regular season, releasing defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy and running back Deuce Vaughn while adding rookie running back Josh Pitsenberger to the practice squad. It is the kind of move that rarely draws much attention on its own, but it does speak to how Houston keeps sorting through depth as the season wears on.
Pitsenbergers return is the most notable part of the shuffle. The undrafted rookie from Yale had already been in the Texans orbit before landing on injured reserve and later being waived with an injury settlement, and now he gets another chance to stick around in the organization. For a team trying to keep its backfield and practice squad flexible, these are the small transactions that can matter later, even if the bigger picture is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Still Waiting On Reed Blankenship For A Bigger Reason
Reed Blankenships absence has become a familiar part of the Texans defensive picture over the past couple of weeks, with the safety still working back from surgery on his left hand and continuing through concussion protocol as the team moves into Week 8. He has already missed multiple games, leaving Houston to adjust its back end while veteran M.J. Stewart has filled in as a replacement starter.
For the Texans, the bigger issue is not just whether Blankenship can get back on the field, but when he can clear the checkpoints that matter most. His availability for the next stretch will hinge on how he holds up in practice and how the medical evaluations go, which leaves Houston waiting on more than just a return date. [Read more 🡒]