The Houston Texans didn’t make a high-profile moves by the NFL trade deadline, despite expectations that they would add depth at guard following Kenyon Green’s injury. Instead, they traded defensive tackle Khalil Davis to the 49ers for a sixth-round pick, a surprising decision given that most anticipated an addition rather than a subtraction.
This led to some backlash, but on Wednesday, head coach DeMeco Ryans addressed the criticism. Ryans reminded fans and reporters that trades aren’t as simple as they seem, noting that both teams need to agree for a deal to happen. “Everyone thinks a trade is just going to magically solve things,” Ryans said, via Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. “But it takes two sides willing to make it work.”
Ryans emphasized that the lack of major acquisitions wasn’t due to a lack of effort. The Texans have been proactive in building their roster under GM Nick Caserio, though reports suggest they might not have had the cap space to land a high-impact starter.
Though some fans hoped for a big move, Ryans pointed out that finding the ideal “savior” isn’t always realistic. Houston did attempt to strengthen the roster by signing Jerome Calvin to the practice squad and trying out players like La’el Collins. Ultimately, they seem ready to continue with Jarrett Patterson and Kendrick Green filling in.
