The Houston Texans made a series of six trades for eight players from Aug. 8 to Oct. 21 of the 2019 regular season. They risked a first-round pick, two third-round picks, and a sixth-round pick from their 2020 draft as well as their first and second-round selections from 2021 for what amounted to an AFC divisional exit.
Was the risk worth the reward? Coach Bill O’Brien believes the acquisitions for running back Duke Johnson, cornerback Keion Crossen, running back Carlos Hyde, left tackle Laremy Tunsil, receiver Kenny Stills, outside linebackers Barkevious Mingo and Jacob Martin, and cornerback Gareon Conley were worth the price.
“I think that those moves did pay off,” O’Brien told reporters Monday. “Those guys came in, without mentioning each guy specifically, but I do believe that those guys came in and really entered into our culture of what we’re trying to do, learned the systems, tried to go out there and those guys played well. I’m sure there’s always plays that each one of them wish they could have back, but I think that those guys helped our team win this year, when we won.”
The Texans finished 10-6, won the AFC South for the second straight season, and knocked off the Buffalo Bills 22-19 in overtime of the AFC wild-card for the second playoff win in the O’Brien era.
According to O’Brien, even though the trades had a short-term feel to them, the organization is always balancing them in the long-term.
Said O’Brien: “I think any move we make, we try to think about the long term. Now, you could probably pick and choose some moves where maybe contractually it doesn’t seem like it’s long term, but within the building and within the meeting rooms, we think about it more for long-term purposes as we move forward here.”
Where the Texans move forward is beyond a 51-31 playoff loss at the Kansas City Chiefs that saw Houston leading 24-0 early in the second quarter at Arrowhead Stadium. The challenge for 2020 will be not to let such collapses become a part of their identity or the narrative.