The Houston Texans face an interesting situation as the 2026 trade deadline approaches, and it could lead to another fresh start for Jadeveon Clowney.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on November 1 that Clowney “has generated some interest.”
Clowney, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2014 draft, is in his second stint with the Texans, who selected him out of South Carolina. He has also had stints with the Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, and Tennessee Titans.
His return to Houston has seen Clowney encounter many of the same hurdles that have been prevalent throughout his career.
Clowney, 33, has appeared in five games this season.
He has missed multiple games in a single campaign in all but three of his 12-plus seasons in the NFL. Despite that, Clowney is a three-time Pro Bowler and someone the Texans were counting on to help supplement stars Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr.
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Clowney and the Texans hit their bye week at 2-5, but it remains unclear if they will look to recoup some draft capital at the trade deadline.
The implications of doing so could be significant.
“I don’t think they’re ready to fold,” Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon wrote on October 30. “Doing so might spell the end of the C.J. Stroud era entirely. The Marvin Harrison Jr. acquisition might have been their primary splash, however.”
Despite that, several Texans players have come up as potential trade candidates before the deadline besides Clowney.
On SI’s Jared Koch listed seven players who could be targets, including David Montgomery.
“Now, maybe the Texans don’t want to send it in on David Montgomery this early. He’s only played a quarter of the season with his new offense, and hasn’t been able to bounce back from a poor start because of the groin injury he suffered in Week 5,” Koch wrote on October 31.
“But Montgomery has certainly underperformed from where his initial expectations stood upon the Texans’ trading a fourth-round pick for him. Maybe another team out there needs help in the backfield and feels that they can get a second wind out of the veteran running back that Houston hasn’t been able to find. Mark this one down as unlikely, though.”
Likewise, two-time Pro Bowler Nico Collins has also been mentioned as a player who could attract trade interest.
2026 free agent pickups Braden Smith and Wyatt Teller could also help the Texans get picks.
Still, the Texans have shown no signs of waving the white flag on this season just yet. The Texans will return to face the 0-7 Los Angeles Chargers in their final matchup before the trade deadline on November 10.
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