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Aug 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio stands on the field before the game against the Carolina Panthers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Texans GM Gets Honest on NFL Trade Deadline Rumors

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Oct 17, 2025 12:02 PM ET

The NFL trade deadline is creeping up closer and closer by the day, which means buzz around the league will continue to bubble up until the cutoff date for deals officially hits at the beginning of next month.

And for the Houston Texans, some have begun to connect the dots of a potential mid-season move being in play.

At 2-3 coming out of the bye looking to make up ground in the AFC South race, adding another dose of talent on either side of the ball might not be a poor investment. The Texans have draft capital to deal, a little bit of wiggle room financially, and with the right package, could be tempted to pull the trigger on a move that helps bolster their chances of a third-straight playoff appearance at years end.

But when asking Texans general manager Nick Caserio, he might not be holding his breath for a truly ground-breaking move to transpire for Houston's roster.

Caserio was interviewed on Texans Radio ahead of Week 7's battle vs. the Seattle Seahawks to dish on some of the opportunities that could be available at the deadline. Rather than bringing in outside talent, Caserio highlighted the improvements that could be in store internally, while also cooling off the chatter of adding a big-time impact player.

"Some of the players that are going to help us are in the building, they're just in a different category; they're on the reserve list, and we've had some players that have started practicing," Caserio said.

"I would say, when you look across the league, the reality is, if trades take place, it's probably to improve or upgrade their overall depth. Are you really trading for an impact player? It's probably hard this time of year, and then, there's some things that have to match up from a contractual standpoint."

With most big-time players being signed on to decent-sized contracts, the flexibility for mostly cap-constrained teams around the league to acquire those talents becomes a bit out of the realm of possibility. Especially when those moves require additional assets to be dealt in return, those mid-season splashes can be few and far between.

Caserio doesn't count out the opportunity to make the Texans better at the deadline, but instead of pushing the chips in for a star, upgrading the depth around the edges is much more feasible.

"There's always opportunities to improve your team, you just have to figure out what's the right mechanism; whats the right fit... We have some players that we feel are going to be able to help our team that haven't played for us at this point."

Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Perhaps the bigger takeaway from Caserio is his confidence in those currently off the field for the Texans who can make a solid impact further down the line this season.

Offensively, guys like Justin Watson and Cade Stover have gone down with early-season injuries to take their services out of the fold, and of course, the status of running back Joe Mixon remains up in the air. Defensively, rookies Jaylin Smith and Jaylen Reed should be eyeing a return soon, as well as veterans like Denico Autry and Jimmie Ward.

So, instead of poking around the market for a splash, the Texans could be gearing up to stand pat and focus on the talent already in-house, rather than forcing a mid-season upgrade.

Time will tell how Caserio plays his hand, but he's seemingly confident in what Houston can do down the line this season, with or without a trade deadline move.

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