The Houston Texans got major trade news, which drew attention to Pro Bowler Nico Collins.
That is even without Collins or the Texans being involved in the latest blockbuster to shake the AFC South: the Tennessee Titans traded All-Pro defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons to the Chicago Bears for two first-round picks and a mid-round pick swap.
“That’s a lot,” SportsTalk 790’s Jeremy Branham posted on X on October 29 in reaction to the news. “How much would it take you to part with Nico Collins?
ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime posted in response, “At least a first to consider it.”
Greg: “You have to have a difference maker. You cannot continue to patchwork this if you are the Chiefs.”
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell projected Collins’ trade value at a first-round pick in July.
The true winner of the Simmons trade is still to be determined. Houston also already beat the Titans in their first matchup this season, with the rematch coming in Week 18. Still, the ripple effect on the AFC South is noteworthy for the Texans.
The Indianapolis Colts have already begun their teardown, trading DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers and Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks.
Nico Collins Trade Implications for Texans
Collins, 27, is under team control through the 2027 season on a two-year, $60 million contract with the Texans. He has $28.5 million in guaranteed salary on the books for 2027. The Texans would incur more dead money than they would save if they cut him outright.
That is even with a post-June 1 designation, and a trade would only clear that potential hurdle after June 1.
Moreover, Collins remains the Texans’ No.1 wide receiver.
A former third-round pick (2021) made good, Collins has posted three consecutive seasons with 1,000-plus receiving yards. He has also been productive with C.J. Stroud and Davis Mills at quarterback during his tenure.
Texans Trade Pick Sends Nico Collins to Chiefs
Spotrac’s Mike Ginnitti suggested a hypothetical trade that would see the Texans ship Collins to the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Several Wide Receivers have been floated in trade reports (Brian Thomas Jr., Josh Downs, Jerry Jeudy), but the Houston Texans (2-5) could very well begin taking phone calls for a variety of players in the coming days,” Ginnitti wrote on October 28. “Collins signed a renegotiated contract this past May, beefing up both his cash intake and available incentives, but the 27-year-old will still be entering a contract year in 2027. Collins has been injury-prone, but he’s a massive upgrade for a Chiefs roster that has long been seeking a true WR1.”
Trading Collins to the Chiefs could be counterintuitive, handing the Texans’ top offensive weapon to a conference rival. However, as with Simmons, what the sender does with their return is as much of a factor in grading a trade as anything else.
Texans Roster Heading for Shake-Up
Collins may not be a player the Texans look to move. They added Marvin Harrison Jr. and Kayshon Boutte in trades, adding them to Xaver Hutchinson and Tank Dell, the latter of whom played in his first game since the 2024 season in Week 7.
The Texans have lost 2025 second-round picks Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel to season-ending injuries, but they will be back in the mix at some point in 2027.
Harrison, Higgins, and even Hutchinson are the most similar to Collins physically.
None of them are as complete a receiver as he is, though, and Boutte has injury concerns just like Dell and Noel. The trade deadline is on November 10, just after the conclusion of Week 9, and speculation around Collins and other Texans players will continue if they continue to lose.
Blockbuster Trade News Draws Attention to Texans’ Nico Collins