The Houston Texans finally moved on from Deshaun Watson.
The Texans traded their former 2017 first-round pick to the Cleveland Browns. Although the compensation package is still being finalized, the expectation is Houston will get a decent haul for dealing away their three-time Pro Bowler.
According to Adam Schefter from ESPN, the Texans are expected to get three first-round picks, a third-round selection, and a possible fifth-round pick.
The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport clarified that the Texans will swap their fourth-round pick for the Browns’ fifth-round pick.
Presumptively one of the first-round selections the Texans will get is Cleveland’s No. 13 overall pick in Round 1 of the 2022 NFL draft. If the Texans were to use both of those selections, it would mark the first time since 2004 that Houston had multiple first-round picks.
General manager Nick Caserio’s big task at the NFL combine was to have the coaches and personnel department make contact with as many players as possible. The strategy seems to have paid off now that Houston will have more picks in the top-100 of this year’s draft.
“I think the most important thing for us is to kind of know as many players as possible,” Caserio told reporters on March 1. “I’d say relative to last season we’re in a little different position relative to eliminating call it 55, 60 players last year that we knew we weren’t going to have access to. Now I’d say the pool of players is a little bit wider. Just trying to get as much information. I’d say the group that probably is most pressing are the underclassmen because this is really the first opportunity to spend extensively with them face-to-face.”
The Texans will be picking in the first round for the first time since 2019 when they selected tackle Tytus Howard No. 23 overall from Alabama State. Houston has been linked to safety Kyle Hamilton, defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, and even tackle Evan Neal in mock drafts.