Look, we’re a San Francisco 49ers site first and foremost, but how can we not go without talking about the Houston Texans big Saturday? While the 49ers were getting their roster finalized on Saturday, the Texans tried to completely overturn theirs. There’s numerous trades to go over (Jadeveon Clowney to Seattle comes to mind), the sheer breadth of which invokes dizziness, but the big one is the deal they struck with the Miami Dolphins for Laremy Tunsil. There were talks the Dolphins were interested in Jadeveon Clowney until the latter went to Seattle, but in exchange, the Texans wanted Tunsil.
Miami said he was not for sale. But in the NFL, everyone has a price and the Texans basically gave the Dolphins their draft and roster in exchange for the left tackle.
The Dolphins have sent Tunsil along with wide receiver Kenny Stills, a fourth-round pick and a sixth-round pick to Houston. In exchange, Houston sends, get ready for this, a 2020 first-rounder, a 2021 first-rounder, a 2021 second-rounder, cornerback/special teams player Johnson Bademosi and offensive lineman Julien Davenport
This is crossing into realms of Mike Ditka. For the Texans, it’s obvious they don’t want Deshaun Watson to suffer the same fate of Andrew Luck, meaning they want a good offensive line protecting him. This trade sets up the Dolphins for the future. They traded for quarterback Josh Rosen at the conclusion of the 2019 NFL Draft but he’s been struggling to get the starting job opposite Ryan Fitzpatrick. It might be for the best because without Tunsil, those offensive line problems that plagued Rosen’s rookie season with the Arizona Cardinals could follow him to Miami.
When a first round pick is sent for a player, it’s a big deal. When multiple first rounders and a second, and players are sent, that’s the trade of the year. It looks like Miami won this one, but I’m curious what all of you think.
Miami might not be picking first in the 2020 NFL Draft, but after this trade, they can work out a deal with whoever is to jump up there.
Meanwhile, the Houston Texans have mortgaged quite a lot for their offensive tackle. I get it, they need a good offensive line to protect their QB. That logic at least makes sense. The question now is what happens if things go south in 2019 or 2020. Texans head coach Bill O’Brien has taken over the personnel department and like coaches before him (Chip Kelly comes to mind) this could end badly.