The Houston Texans lost out on the Deebo Samuel sweepstakes on Saturday, as the San Francisco 49ers sent the versatile weapon to the Washington Commanders for a mere fifth-round selection. They were interested, though the 49ers seemingly preferred the Commanders' offer.
Washington is taking on Samuel's entire cap hit, which likely explains why the compensation feels so mediocre given Samuel's history of production. That said, this does set a market for other potential trades for the rest of the offseason.
One player who is rumored to be available is Seattle Seahawks standout DK Metcalf. If the Texans are serious about upgrading C.J. Stroud's supporting cast and replacing Stefon Diggs, one new projected trade could put Houston's offense over the hump.
Texans Acquire Seahawks WR DK Metcalf in New Projected Trade
In this projected trade, the Texans send a 2025 third-round NFL Draft pick to the Seahawks in exchange for Metcalf. It's the No. 89 pick, which is a hefty price to pay, though Metcalf could be the final piece of the puzzle as Houston tries to break through and compete in an AFC Championship or beyond.
OverTheCap projects that the Texans will have less than $5 million in available cap space, which obviously complicates matters. Teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles have proven that a simple restructuring fixes the issue, though that depends on how much available cash that ownership is willing to spend.
That was clearly an issue for a potential Samuel trade, who is owed over $17 million next season. Samuel carries a cap hit of $31.875 million, so the Texans would need to free up significant space to make this kind of a deal happen.
Even still, this is the time to take advantage of Stroud's rookie contract. If you're ever going to spend big money on a receiver, it's right now. Houston is heavily favored to win a weak AFC South once again, though the front office needs to take risks in order to overcome the top teams in the conference.
Whether it's Metcalf or someone else, the Texans need to consider all options to bolster an offense that struggled in 2024.