The Houston Texans are a team to watch ahead of the 2026 trade deadline, particularly with Pro Bowler Jadeveon Clowney and others on the roster who might be of interest to rivals.
That is, if the Texans turn seller.
“Jadeveon Clowney down there with the Houston Texans, one of the players that teams have checked in on ahead of the trade deadline to see if he would be available,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported on “NFL GameDay” on November 8.
Clowney was the former No. 1 overall pick by the Texans in 2014. He resigned with the club this past offseason, has appeared in five games this season.
He has 9 total tackles and 1.5 sacks so far in 2026.
Clowney is also on a one-year, $5.5 million contract (with $101 million in career earnings) and will be a free agent in this coming offseason. Moving him at the deadline would allow the Texans to recoup some draft capital after their trades for Kayshon Boutte and Marvin Harrison Jr.
Jadevon Clowney Among Texans Players on Trade Watch Before Deadline
Speculation around Clowney’s future has been fairly consistent as the deadline approaches, with the Texans’ record a major driving force behind the intrigue. However, the Texans are not ready to part with players at this juncture.
“The Texans have had a few players that teams have interest in,” Garafolo said. “But even at 2-5, they feel like they’re still in it. So, they’ve told teams, ‘We feel like we can go on a run here.’ I would say the Texans are one of the teams where this weekend’s result could determine the course of action on Tuesday ahead of the trade deadline.”
That is the general sentiment around the Texans, sparking intrigue around the pending date.
The Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan M. Alexander believes “What the Texans do over the next week will give insight into how the Texans view the core of this team.”
“Do they trade for another player and essentially go all in on this season, or do they stay patient and hope for the best this year while maintaining some semblance for the future?” Alexander wrote on November 3
“The latter seems to make the most sense.”
Alexander cited Texans general manager Nick Caserio’s comments about the deadline. The executive revealed they are open to dealing and that he has already spoken to other teams.
“The Texans–who have gone on this kind of run before, Ian [Rapoport]–feel like they can do it again and don’t feel like they need to be sellers,” Garafolo said. “We’ll see if that changes in the next two days.”
In response Rapoport said they “certainly have the firepower to do it, no doubt about that.”
Clowney may be the most popular speculative trade candidate for the Texans. He is not the only one. Alexander cited backup offensive tackles Blake Fisher and Braden Smith as options.
The Texans are up against an 0-7 Los Angeles Chargers team in Week 9. LA has also resisted parting ways with their veterans despite their situation. It appears both teams will face a reckoning following the outcome of this contest.
$101 Million Pro Bowler Name-Dropped Amid Texans’ Trade Deadline Plan