The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 2, and one would figure the Houston Texans would be one of the biggest sellers on the market.
The AFC South club has stumbled to a 1-7 start and are interminably starting a rookie quarterback as they await intended starter, Tyrod Taylor, to recover from a strained hamstring.
With players on the move, as was the case with running back Mark Ingram, who was traded back to the New Orleans Saints on Oct. 27, Texans players could have anxiety about where they will finish the 2021 campaign, or who will stick around in Houston for the final 10 games.
Linebacker Christian Kirksey is not allowing the trade deadline to influence his daily approach.
“You only can control what you can control,” Kirksey said. “We’ve got enough to worry about during the season, as far as what we’re doing, what we have in front of us. So, there’s no sense of adding extra stress or adding extra worry to something that may or may not happen.”
According to the 29-year-old from Iowa, the players don’t spend too much time discussing the trade deadline.
“A lot of guys really don’t talk about it,” said Kirksey. “We just can control what we can control, and that’s what we have in this room right now. Whatever happens, happens. You always cross that bridge once you get there, but not too many guys talk about that.”
The focus for Kirksey is to get the Texans off the schneid as they have lost their past seven games. Whether or not Kirksey gets to actually complete that ask by the end of the week remains to be seen as the Texans continue to work their way through the trade deadline.