Now that the 2021 NFL trade deadline has come and gone, the future is becoming ever clearer for the Houston Texans who now have a far clearer idea of what they'll have to work with moving forward.
The Texans capped off this year's trade window with two moves. First, veteran running back Mark Ingram went back to the New Orleans Saints for a 2024 seventh-round pick. On Tuesday, third-year defensive lineman Charles Omenihu was traded to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2023 sixth-round pick.
In terms of future draft stock, the Texans now have nine picks in 2022, with at least one in each round except for the fifth. The following year, they're currently at 10 with at least one every round, per Texans Cap.
And keep in mind, this is without any compensation from a, surely now inevitable, Deshaun Watson trade coming next offseason.
Given that the Texans have reportedly been steadfast in their demand for a minimum of three first-round picks and two second-round picks in return for the three-time Pro Bowler, it's very plausible to suggest the Texans could well draft at least 10 rookies in each of the next three years.
Then take into consideration the lack of players that look set to remain next season from this current roster, and the scale of the upcoming rebuild of this year's rebuild is becoming clear.
Having dealt Omenihu, Randall Cobb and Bradley Roby this year, that's a further three players who would've been under contract in 2022 now gone. As such, the Texans now look set to have just 27 players under contract when this tumultuous season comes to an end, and only 14 come the end of next season as it stands now.
It has been clear since the beginning of the 2020 season when their results fell off a cliff that the Texans were due an injection of fresh talent one way or another. But nobody could have seen over half of the roster being gutted in two straight offseasons coming.
This rebuild is the biggest the organization has seen arguably since it began back in 2002, after which it took eight seasons to achieve a winning record.
Thankfully, in his first draft as Texans GM Caserio appears to have hit a few singles, and potentially even a double or triple.
Quarterback Davis Mills, wide receiver Nico Collins, and defensive tackle Roy Lopez have all played big roles their rookie year as tight end Brevin Jordan and linebacker Garret Wallow have shown plenty of promise.
With plenty of valuable picks in the next few years, and potentially a boatload more on the horizon, this franchise shouldn't have to wait another seven seasons to return to winning ways.
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