The Houston Texans may be the best 0-4 team in NFL history. Don’t take it from me, though; take that from Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh, the Texans’ upcoming opponent.
“Their defense is obviously one of the top five units in all of football,” Saleh said, via Ari Meirov.
That may be the case considering their resume over the last few seasons, but right now, the numbers just don’t back it up. Houston currently ranks 20th in terms of yards given up per game, averaging 343.3 yards to opponents on a weekly basis.
Something needs to change, and the Texans did make a move this week, with head coach Demeco Ryans taking over defensive play-calling responsibilities.
But that doesn’t change the personnel that’s on the field, and if Houston wants to salvage their season, they may need to make a move.
Texans Trade Idea Lands Daron Payne
In a trade idea proposed by Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay, the Houston Texans could try to swing a trade for Washington Commanders‘ former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Daron Payne.
Houston Texans receive: DL Daron Payne
Washington Commanders receive: 2027 fourth- and fifth-round draft picks
Defensive tackle is a rather thin position for Houston, and while they generate plenty of pressure from their edge rushers, the interior of the defensive line can leave a bit to be desired.
Payne could be the missing piece that the Texans’ defense needs.
“While the Texans have game-changers such as Anderson and Danielle Hunter in the defensive trenches, the interior hasn’t looked nearly as strong as it did last year. Getting another big body who can help shut down the run and disrupt in the backfield might help Houston save its season,” wrote Kay.
“Daron Payne could be the needle-mover the Texans need right now. He’s squandering his prime on a listless Washington Commanders team that is 1-3 and trending towards another lost season. While he’ll face a tall task getting Houston back into contention, the AFC South race is winnable and the Texans have most of the other pieces in place required to make history.”
If the Texans could really land Payne for just the price of two Day 3 draft choices, it would have to be something for them to consider.
The Case Against Daron Payne
On the other hand, trading for Payne may not be the instant fix Kay envisions it to be for the Houston Texans.
For instance, he may have a good resume, but the fact of the matter is he’s underperforming through the first few games of the 2026 season.
Despite being the 15th-highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL, he’s certainly not playing like it right now, at least by Pro Football Focus’s standards.
Through four games, he has an overall grade of 62.7, ranking 51st in the league among 129 qualified defensive tackles.
His PFF pass-rush grade (56.6) is even worse, grading out as the 99th best among his peers.
Maybe a change of scenery would do him so good, but is it worth the risk for the Texans? That’s likely for Nick Caserio to decide.
Texans Trade Idea Lands Ex-Pro Bowler to Fix Biggest Defensive Weakness