Coming into the 2020 offseason, the Houston Texans’ needs were few and easy to address: upgrade at cornerback, find pass rush help, and figure out who starts at running back.
It was going to be a challenge given that Houston traded their first-round pick to the Miami Dolphins as part of the Laremy Tunsil exchange, dealt a third-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for Duke Johnson, and tossed a sixth-rounder to the New England Patriots for Keion Crossen. The Texans still had a second-round pick at 57th overall, a third-round pick at 90th overall, a fourth-rounder, a fifth-rounder, and three seventh-round selections to address needs or provide depth.
When the Texans traded three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals for running back David Johnson, they swapped their 2020 fourth-round pick for the Cardinals’ 2021 fourth-rounder, and obtained Arizona’s 2020 second-round pick at 40th overall.
The Texans found their starting running back, but they had a big question mark at receiver, which now became a need. Seemingly, the need was addressed with the signing of 2014 Pro Bowler Randall Cobb, but he wasn’t a complete receiver like Hopkins. Houston still needed help.
Seemingly, the Texans were prepared to stock the cupboard with younger talent at pass rush and receiver with two second-round picks, a third, a fifth, and their trio of seventh-rounders. With three picks in the top-100 of the draft, the Texans could still adequately fill their holes on the roster.
On Thursday, Houston traded a second-round pick and a future fourth-rounder for Los Angeles Rams receiver Brandin Cooks. Between the squad of Cooks, Cobb, Will Fuller, Kenny Stills, and Keke Coutee, Houston surely can cobble together packages that would replicate what Hopkins brought to the offense, especially with two-time Pro Bowler Deshaun Watson under center.
However, the Texans’ receiving corps lost dependability in the health department when Hopkins left. All five of those aforementioned receivers missed games in 2019, and all but Cooks have question marks around their health over the course of their careers.
Johnson hasn’t had a productive season since 2016, his lone All-Pro season. The Texans may have had a solution at running back, or at least a placeholder while a younger starter was groomed, in Carlos Hyde. Instead, the Texans let him walk in free agency.
The Texans’ last hope to improve their roster and break into the NFL’s final four is the draft. In 2018, without a first or second round pick, the Texans found a quality starter at safety in Justin Reid in the third round. It is not without precedent that the Texans can find mid-round talent, but suck fortune is difficult to conjure.
[vertical-gallery id=47829]