The Houston Texans will use the next couple of months to find upgrades along the roster. Free agency kicks off in March, and the NFL Draft happens in late April.
These are the main two avenues teams will use to add more talent to the team but trades are also an option. On Wednesday, ESPN's Dan Graziano reported that the 2025 salary cap will increase to $277.5M-$281.5M. That was an increase of $22.1M-$26.1M compared to last year.
Per Spotrac, the Texans only have $530,110 available in cap space but that number is set to increase. With the extra funds, Houston should look into trading for San Francisco 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel.
Samuel requested a trade during exit meetings with the 49ers and is one of the best playmakers on the block. The 29-year-old has one year left on his current deal and has a $15.8 million cap hit for the 2025 season.
The Texans have a need for a receiver. Stefon Diggs tore his ACL in Week 8 against the Indianapolis Colts and is going to hit free agency. Meanwhile, Tank Dell tore his ACL, dislocated his kneecap, and damaged his meniscus in a Week 16 contest against the Kansas City Chiefs.
That leaves Nico Collins as the only reliable WR going into the 2025 season. That's where a player like Samuel comes into the picture.
The South Carolina product is a gadget player who can line up in the backfield as a tailback while lining up on the outside as a pass-catcher. Across 81 career games, Samuel racked up 4,792 receiving yards, 1,143 receiving yards, and 42 total touchdowns.
He's a player that could step in and give the Texans a one-year rental for the 2025 season. If things turn out positive, they could discuss an extension in the offseason but with extra money to spend, adding a weapon like Samuel to the rotation would be a wise allocation of funds.