NFL Week 5 Features a Showdown of Crimson Tide QBs: Bama in the NFL Tracker

If you were wondering why the Houston Texans decided to trade one of the most veteran former Alabama Crimson Tide players in the NFL, with left tackle Cam Robinson getting shipped to the Cleveland Browns, the answer is simple. He wanted to start.

Robinson had only made one start in four games with the Texans, as the team likes the longterm option of rookie Aireontae Ersery, a second-round selection out of Minnesota, at left tackle. So the 30-year-old who signed a one year deal worth up to $14.5 million deal during the offseason, was essentially a luxury on the bench.

"It gives Cam an opportunity to go play," Texans head coach, and former Crimson Tide linebacker, DeMeco Ryans said during a press conference. "Cam wants to play, so it gives him an opportunity to do that, and we wish Cam nothing but the best."

Ryans added: "He's handled himself the right way since he's been here. He's done everything the right way, everything that we've asked him to do, so we wanted to do right by him and give him the opportunity."

With the move, Blake Fisher, a second-round selection out Notre Dame is the primary backup at left tackle. Houston no longer has to pay Robinson, and they swapped seventh- and sixth-round picks with the Browns in next year's draft, respectively.

So whey did the Cleveland make the move? At 1-3 the Browns are in serious danger of falling too far behind in the ACFC North this season, and their offensive line is a mess.

Starting left tackle Dawand Jones (knee) is out for the season. All-Pro right tackle Jack Conklin has been out with an elbow injury so the key reserve, 34-year-old Cornelius Lucas, had to go to right tackle. KT Leveston, a seventh-round pick in 2024, became Cleveland's third starter at left tackle in Sunday’s loss to Detroit, but the Lions had a lot of success on the edges in the 34-10 victory.

In four weeks, the Browns had four different lines, and very few options.

Robinson, who has played in 102 career games, was immediately put at the top of the depth chart at left tackle, and the Browns are hoping he can provide some immediate stability (along with Conklin returning). The cost was minimal, both in terms of swapping the low draft picks but also financially. When Robinson signed with the Texans the deal included a $8.75 million signing bonus, which has already been paid, so the Browns are only the hook for roughly $3 million.

For their point of view that might make him the cheapest starting left tackle in the league, so there's very little impact on their salary cap.

However the team that might benefit the most from the trade is the Minnesota Vikings, for two reasons:

1) When Minnesota traded for Robinson last season after starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw suffered a knee injury, they gave up a conditional fourth-round pick to Jacksonville. Because he left as a free agent, the Vikings can get a compensatory draft pick next year, and the more he plays the better the pick. They could conceivably get their fourth-round selection back, or close to it.

2) Did you see who the Browns are playing this weekend? The Vikings, and in London. So not only will Robinson be expected to man the key protection spot against a team that rushes the quarterback well, he'll have to do it before having much of a chance to learn the offense and after flying across the Atlantic Ocean.

Bama in the NFL Week 5 Tracker

For the full set of statistics on how the former Crimson Tide players did this week, check out our elaborate Bama in the NFL Week 5 Tracker. It will be updated throughout the weekend until every game is concluded.