David Montgomery has been traded from the Detroit Lions to the Houston Texans.

The Lions will acquire the Texans’ fifth-round draft pick. NBC Sports reported that Montgomery wanted to leave the Lions shortly before the trade. 

Montgomery was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He played four seasons with the Bears and rushed for 3,609 yards. 

Montgomery originally signed a three-year, $18 million contract with the Lions in the 2023 offseason. Just a month later, the Lions drafted Jahmyr Gibbs with the No. 12 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The two running backs have developed good chemistry. They’ve earned the nicknames of Sonic and Knuckles, with Gibbs representing the speed of Sonic the Hedgehog and Montgomery representing the power of Knuckles the Echidna. However, reports from the draft said that Montgomery wasn’t told about the Lions’ plans to draft a running back. 

The Texans ranked No. 21 in the run game last season. A big reason for this was their No. 26-ranked offensive line, according to For The Numbers. 

However, their leading rusher was Woody Marks, a rookie who had just 703 yards. Veteran Nick Chubb also played in 15 games and had 506 yards. 

Having Montgomery at running back will make things easier for the Texans’ run game. Although offensive coordinator Nick Caley generally prefers shifty running backs over power backs like Montgomery, his system is versatile and can adapt to players’ needs.

Meanwhile, the Lions can use the draft pick and cap space to address their weaknesses. The Lions look to improve their wide receiver depth, offensive line, and pass-rushing. 

The NFL offseason officially begins on March 11. The legal tampering period begins on March 9, allowing teams to negotiate contracts without officially signing players. 

The Houston Texans are expected to release Joe Mixon. 

Mixon missed the entire season with a foot injury he’s been dealing with since before training camp. Mixon recently had foot surgery, but his future in the NFL remains uncertain.

Mixon signed a three-year, $25 million contract with the Texans in the 2024 offseason. His first season as a Texan went very well. He rushed for 1,016 yards in 14 games and made his second career Pro Bowl. 

Yahoo Sports reported that Mixon’s foot injury came out of nowhere. The Texans will need to absorb a $2 million cap hit to release Mixon.

The Texans recently traded for David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions. This will allow them to move on from Mixon without worrying about who will lead their run game. Rookie running back Woody Marks was the Texans’ leading rusher in 2025 with just 703 yards.

Mixon was drafted in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. His best season with them was in 2021, when he ran for 1,205 yards in 16 games. He made the Pro Bowl and helped the Bengals make the Super Bowl. Mixon ran for 72 yards in Super Bowl LVI to lead all rushers.  

Mixon had originally signed a four-year, $48 million extension with the Bengals in 2020. The Bengals renegotiated his contract in 2023 to give him an opt-out in 2024, allowing Mixon to make more money and for the Bengals to have flexibility.

Despite doubts about his future, Mixon has shown interest in playing in the 2026 season. The Washington Commanders and the Kansas City Chiefs are expected to be the teams that make the biggest push for him. Mixon comes with health concerns but is just two seasons removed from a 1,000-yard rushing season.

The Houston Texans picked up a massive round one playoff win on the road, but not all is good, as Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins got carted off the field due to a concussion.

Collins sustained the injury at the end of the third quarter when he landed on top of his head after a slant route. He immediately pointed toward his head as the receiver was visibly in pain. The Texans’ training staff checked him out in the blue medical tent before carting him back to the locker room for further examination. Collins was quickly ruled out after totaling three catches for 21 yards on seven targets.

This was the second concussion Collins has suffered this season, the first one on October 21 vs the Seattle Seahawks, which forced him to miss one game. This almost certainly puts the 1,000-yard receiver’s availability for the divisional round in doubt.

Head coach DeMeco Ryans said in his post-game press conference, “We’ll see how this week goes” regarding Collins’ status for their matchup against the New England Patriots on a short week.

Collins is an irreplaceable player as the fifth-year wideout led the team with 1,117 yards and six touchdowns. If Collins is unable to go on Sunday, it will be a massive blow for C.J. Stroud and the Texans’ offense, who have struggled this season to consistently put up points.

Stroud will have to rely on veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk, who stepped up in a big way with 144 yards and a touchdown on Monday. Expect to see an increase in targets for Xavier Hutchinson and rookie Jayden Higgins if Collins is sidelined this Sunday.

In the one game without Collins, the Texans beat the San Francisco 49ers 26-15, with Hutchinson leading the receiver room for 69 yards and a touchdown.

Collins signed a three-year, $72.75 million contract extension in May 2024.

Davis Mills had not started an NFL game in a while heading into the 2025 season. Two full seasons to be exact.

After being drafted by the Houston Texans in 2021, Mills started the majority of matches for the following two seasons. In 2023, the team named him the backup quarterback to first-round pick C.J. Stroud.

But earlier this month, Mills got his chance when he started in a victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. And he hasn’t stopped since.

Mills started his third straight game on Thursday as he led the Texans to a third consecutive victory, defeating the Buffalo Bills 23-19 to keep the team’s playoff hopes alive.

The 27-year-old completed 53.3% of his passes during the win. He also threw 153 passing yards and recorded two touchdowns.

Mills is filling in for Stroud, who suffered a concussion in a loss against the Denver Broncos on Nov. 2. But despite his 3-0 record as a starter, Mills is aware of his place on the team.

“C.J.’s the starter for this team,” he said after Thursday’s win. “I’m just doing everything I can to bring my best foot forward every day, make everyone else around me better and try to provide and play my role to my best ability when I get thrown in there.”

The Texans will face the Indianapolis Colts next Sunday with a chance to close the gap on the AFC South leaders.

The Houston Texans defeated the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night, keeping its playoffs hopes alive. But Texans fans still might feel disappointment despite improving to 6-5 on the year.

That’s because running back Joe Mixon is not expected to return to the field this season for Houston, according to Ian Rapoport from the NFL Network.

The 29-year-old is currently dealing with a foot injury, which caused him to not participate in the Texans’ training camp. The team put Mixon on the non-football injury list and has not taken part of a non-restrictive practice with the media or a game since the Texans’ 23-14 loss against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2024 AFC Divisional round.

In 2024, Mixon rushed over 1,000 yards and scored 11 touchdowns in his first season with the Texans. Prior to arriving in Houston, he spent seven straight seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, leading the team to a Super Bowl appearance in the 2021 campaign.

In his place, running backs Nick Chubb and Woody Marks are rising to the challenge. Chubb has recorded 419 rushing yards in 11 games. Marks, meanwhile, rushed 348 yards in his 11 games and posted 74 rushing yards in Thursday’s win against the Bills.

The victory keeps the Texans in the hunt for the playoffs, who now just sit one spot outside the Wild Card picture. Houston goes back on the road on Nov. 30 to face the AFC South leaders Indianapolis Colts.

Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson‘s first training camp with the Houston Texans took a negative turn on Thursday.

Reporters at the team’s practice at the Greenbrier in West Virginia said Gardner-Johnson went down while defending wide receiver John Metchie during a drill. Gardner-Johnson stayed down while being examined for an apparent leg injury.

Teammates circled around Gardner-Johnson and took knees while a cart was brought onto the field to take him inside. Those at the practice noted that Gradner-Johnson did not appear to be able to put weight on the injured leg.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said it was “tough to watch” Garnder-Johnson go down, calling the scene “heartbreaking,” per KPRC2.

The Texans acquired Gardner-Johnson and a 2026 sixth-round pick from the Philadelphia Eagles in March for guard Kenyon Green and a 2025 fifth-rounder after he helped the Eagles win the Super Bowl.

Gardner-Johnson told The Pivot podcast last month that he thinks the Eagles traded him because they’re “scared of a competitor. Simple as that.”

He added that he was blamed for a fight that broke out during one of the Eagles’ playoff practices.

“We had a little scrum at practice. Nothing, just offense versus defense, but who’s the culprit of it? Me,” he said. “I guess, because we’re competing. Well, you tell me the period is live. You’re telling us not to compete during a live period, but it’s a live period, and we’re getting ready for a playoff game?”

Gardner-Johnson was ticketed for a starting job in the Houston secondary, so there will be a lot of people around the team hoping that the news on the injury isn’t as bad as it looked on the field.

A serious injury to Gardner-Johnson would be a significant blow to the Texans’ team that is looking to take the next step after getting eliminated in the divisional round each of the last two seasons.

Houston Texans safety Jimmie Ward was arrested Thursday evening for the second time in two months.

According to the Montgomery County (Texas) Jail website, Ward was arrested on a warrant related to a felony offense. No bail was listed, but Ward will be released by court order on Friday, according to the website.

Ward’s lawyer, Steve Jackson, told KPRC 2 that Ward was arrested because he tested positive for alcohol in violation of his previous release and that, as a result, he had to spend the night in jail. Jackson told the television station that Ward was not facing any new allegations and that Ward was not aware he could not drink alcohol.

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The Texans declined to comment.

Ward was first arrested on June 12 at his home in Magnolia, Texas, on a felony charge of assaulting a family/ house member, impeding breath circulation. A woman called the authorities and said Ward assaulted, strangled and threatened her. An emergency protective order was filed at the woman’s request. Ward was released after posting $30,000 bail.

Ward’s lawyer told KPRC 2 that the case would go to a grand jury on August 31 and that Ward would be “vindicated.”

The NFL said in June that it was aware of Ward’s arrest and was in contact with the Texans. Houston general manager Nick Caserio, asked about Ward’s initial arrest on the first day of training camp, said the team would “kind of let the legal process take care of itself.”

“We will work with the league. We will be compliant on our end, do the best we can,” Caserio said. “Whatever the outcome is, we’ll handle it accordingly.”

Ward was put on the Texans’ physically unable to perform list because of a foot injury to start training camp and has not been activated.

Former Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bryan Braman died Thursday after seeking treatment this year for a rare, aggressive form of cancer, according to his agent. He was 38.

Braman had undergone multiple surgeries during treatment in Seattle, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help him with expenses. Braman was diagnosed with cancer in February.

Agent Sean Stellato confirmed Braman’s death on Thursday, noting that Braman had two daughters, ages 11 and 8.

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“Bryan, people saw this enormous human being, but his heart was big as his body,” Stellato told KPRC 2 in Houston. “His spirit was so motivating. He was so real and genuine with everybody. That made him special.

“It’s hard. I feel like I lost my firstborn. This kid, he gave me his bed every time I came to Philadelphia. He would threaten me if I didn’t stay with him. That’s something I’ll always cherish. My heart hurts today.”

The GoFundMe for Braman raised more than $88,000, with former Texans star J.J. Watt giving $10,000 while other former teammates also contributed.

“Rest in Peace, brother,” Watt wrote on social media. “Gone far too soon.”

The Eagles and Texans also shared their remorse over Braman’s death.

“During his four seasons in Philadelphia, Bryan was a loyal teammate, a supporter of the community, and a valuable member of our Super Bowl LII-winning team,” the Eagles said in a statement. “More importantly, he was a devoted father who passionately loved his family and everyone around him. We extended our deepest condolences to Bryan’s family and all who are grieving his loss during this difficult time.”

“We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Bryan Braman,” said the Texans in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Braman family during this difficult time.”

An undrafted free agent out of West Texas A&M, Braman played seven seasons in the NFL, from 2011 to 2017. He won a Super Bowl with the Eagles after joining the team for the playoffs, blocking a punt in the divisional round. The Super Bowl LII victory was Braman’s final NFL game.

Houston Texans safety Jimmie Ward was arrested at his home at around 5:30 am on June 11 on a domestic violence charge.

The former first-round pick was taken into custody at 5:38 am in Montgomery County, Texas, according to jail records and booked on a felony count of assault of a family member. He was released the next day on a $30,000 bond.

The Texans said in a statement to the Houston Chronicle that they “are aware of the report involving Jimmie Ward.”

“We are gathering more information and have no further comment at this time,” the team said.

Ward was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 2014 and spent nine seasons with the team before signing a two-year, $10.5 million deal with the Texans.

Ward has not practiced yet this spring due to foot surgery. He’s played in 20 games over the past two seasons.

Further details regarding the arrest are currently unknown.

The Kansas City Chiefs prolonged a season filled with miracles as they advanced to the AFC Championship for the seventh consecutive year, beating the Houston Texans 23-14.

The Texans outgained the Chiefs by over a hundred yards and committed no turnovers. If you ask Texans fans, the difference in the game was penalties – including two questionable roughing calls on Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Multiple Texans players, including running back Joe Mixon, mentioned the referees following the game.

“Everybody knows how it is playing up here. You can never leave it into the refs’ hands,” Mixon said. “The whole world sees, man, what it is. When it comes down to it, you can never leave it into the refs’ hands.”

Former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandazeh posted in agreement, commenting, “Why play the game if every 50/50 call goes with Chiefs.” Ironically enough, Mixon would later be mistakenly fined – the league maximum fine – for Houshmandazeh’s comment.

When asked for comment, Mahomes declined to place judgment on the referees’ calls.

“Obviously, there was a call here and there that people didn’t agree with,” he said. “But at the same time I think there were a lot of other plays that really decided the outcome of that football game.”

The calls that were made, though, weren’t the only ones in contention. Mahomes was forced out of bounds on a second down in the fourth quarter, flailing after a shove by a Texans defender.

“Taking the competitiveness out of the game,” one fan said; another called it “trash and unsportsmanlike.”

Mahomes agreed that he “probably did too much” on the play. “The ref saw it and didn’t throw a flag, I understood it immediately and know that I probably shouldn’t have done that.”

The Chiefs face the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship on Sunday.

Despite losing to the Kansas City Chiefs 27-19 less than a month ago, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is confident about his chances in the AFC Divisional Round. The second-year passer saw the regular season defeat as an opportunity to prepare against the defending Super Bowl champions.

“You definitely have to go back and see things that worked and things that didn’t work, and I think that definitely helps playing them so recently,” Stroud said. “But they also have that advantage as well, so we still have to be able to have a new game plan and do things that are new. It definitely does help to see a familiar team again and they do a lot of great things. We didn’t really see a whole bunch of it, I think there are some exotic things, so I wouldn’t be surprised if that stuff started to show up.”

In a weekend of exciting divisional matchups, including a highly anticipated game between the Ravens and Bills on the other side of the AFC, the Texans are one of the biggest underdogs remaining. The 15-2 Chiefs spent the entire 2024 season surgically dissecting opponents late in games. Patrick Mahomes is widely considered to be the best postseason quarterback in the NFL, chasing his fourth Super Bowl title. 

Whether they’d like to admit it or not, Kansas City’s aims extend far beyond the Texans. The team is operating on a dynastic scale, as Mahomes chases the likes of Tom Brady and Joe Montana. Even those titans fell short of winning three in a row.

Many agree that the Chiefs’ reign could end later this month against the winner of the Baltimore-Buffalo game. If they fall short, a few NFC rivals could still stop them in the Super Bowl. Very, very few expect the run to end against the Texans, whose aims don’t extend much further than the next four days. 

To advance this far, the Texans defeated the Chargers 32-12 in the Wild Card round, completely shutting down Los Angeles on defense and special teams. Running back Joe Mixon rushed 25 times for 108 yards and a touchdown. It was a win cemented by nailing down the finer points, which would again be integral to any upset chance over a team like Kansas City. But as Stroud said, he and the offense will have to bring more to the table to have any chance of contending this time around. 

Mahomes and the Chiefs are notorious for their bag of tricks. Stroud, on the other hand, has settled into a competent, level-headed role in his second season. The Chiefs’ defense and special teams are better than the Chargers. Mixon won’t have as much room to run. There’s a reason the first matchup between these two teams was so one-sided. The passing game will make the difference, and Stroud will have to dig deeper.

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Wide receiver Diontae Johnson is making a somewhat unexpected return to the Baltimore Ravens, nearly four weeks after the team cut him. After an even shorter but equally disappointing stint with the Houston Texans, Johnson is not eligible to compete for Baltimore during the playoffs.

Based on Johnson’s time in Baltimore earlier this season, in which he received limited opportunities and caused a slew of problems, it is highly unlikely that he will ever suit up as a Raven again. If he signs with another team as an unrestricted free agent in 2025, however, Baltimore could receive a compensatory draft pick. 

The NFL’s rules state that teams are entitled to these picks if they lose more free agents than they gain in an off-season. This is almost certainly the Ravens’ motivation for claiming Johnson off waivers.

After a promising start to the 2024 season with the Panthers, Johnson was traded to Baltimore on Oct. 29. He was initially excited to be competing for a Super Bowl contender, but the relationship soured quickly. Johnson played in an extremely limited capacity for several games and was reportedly frustrated with his diminished role.

After refusing to go into a game against the Eagles in Week 13, Johnson received a one-game suspension. The team sent him to waivers on Dec. 20. In four games for Baltimore, he caught one pass for six yards. The Texans picked him up three days later. Participating in Houston’s final regular season game and a playoff victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card round, he caught three passes for 24 yards.

“Unfortunately, with Diontae it didn’t work out,” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said Tuesday. “We’re on to the Chiefs.”

Johnson, who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2019 to 2023, seemed to finally be capitalizing on his potential early in the 2024 season. His success in Carolina was short-lived, however, and his time in Baltimore and Houston has severely harmed his value in future negotiations. This shouldn’t be the end of the line, but he has more to prove now than he has at any other point in his career.

In just two games in charge of the Carolina Panthers, rookie head coach Dave Canales temporarily pulled the plug on the Bryce Young era and will bench the 2023 #1 overall pick in favor of career journeyman Andy Dalton for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Panthers, frankly, look like a college team through two weeks, getting smoked by the New Orleans Saints 47-10 in their opening game before an incompetent showing in front of their home fans last Sunday in a 26-3 defeat to the Las Angeles Chargers.

Part of the reason for their putrid start comes from Young’s lack of success. The Alabama alum threw picks in both contests, has not thrown a touchdown pass, and boasts a terrible 44.4 QBR. After Sunday’s game, Canales told reporters he would stick with Young but decided to change course and explained his decision on Monday.

“Certainly a lot of parties involved there, and ultimately this comes on me. My No. 1 responsibility is to help the Panthers win, and so this move puts us in the best chance to do that.”

On Wednesday, Canales told reporters that the team is not considering trading away Young and that he still believes he can be a franchise quarterback in the NFL.

What makes the decision to bench the quarterback after two weeks even more controversial comes from what the Panthers gave up to draft Young. Carolina sent five picks, including two first-rounders and WR DJ Moore, to the Chicago Bears for the rights to the #1 pick in the draft.

One selection later, the Houston Texans took QB CJ Stroud from Ohio State, who led his team back to the playoffs in his rookie season and won his first two games of the 2024 season. Some analysts speculate that Carolina compares itself to Stroud’s success, which mounts pressure on Young to be successful immediately.

The Houston Texans have locked in wide receiver Nico Collins with a three-year, $72.75 million extension, solidifying their commitment to the rising star. The contract includes a $52 million guarantee and could reach a maximum value of $75 million.

Collins, 25, is coming off a breakout season where he hauled 80 receptions for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns over 15 games. His performance ranked him 23rd in receptions, 8th in receiving yards and tied for 8th in touchdowns across the NFL, marking him as a critical player in the Texans’ offensive lineup.

Drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft from Michigan, Collins has quickly developed into a premier receiver. Over three seasons, he has amassed 150 catches for 2,224 yards and 11 touchdowns. This extension secures his future with the Texans and underscores the team’s confidence in his continued growth and impact.

The move comes on the heels of the Texans’ acquisition of Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills in early April, enhancing an already promising receiving corps. Diggs, who received a $3.5 million raise to increase his 2024 base salary to $22.52 million, joins Collins and Tank Dell as part of a dynamic trio aimed at putting defenses on their heels.

Dell, a 2023 third-round pick, showed immense potential last season, accumulating 709 yards before a broken leg sidelined him in December. He was on pace for a stellar 1,205-yard season before the injury. Dell’s return to health, combined with the additions of Collins and Diggs, gives the Texans a mix of receiving talent.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans expressed excitement about the versatility and explosiveness of his receiver trio. “We want to put defenses in binds, and I think with those three guys it allows us to do that because they are so different, and they can all do different things,” Ryans said to ESPN. “But at the end of the day, they are all explosive finishers with the football, which makes those guys great players. They can win on third down and they can finish and get in the end zone, and that’s what we look for at all skill positions on offense.”

The Texans’ strategic moves in bolstering their receiver room with proven talent and extending promising players like Collins signify a clear intention to elevate their offense. With Collins secured, the Texans are ready to build a group that can challenge even the most resilient defenses in the league.

J.J. Watt, three-time NFL defensive player of the year and long-time Houston Texan, told Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, “If you ever do call, I’ll be there” when asked about a potential return to professional football.

Watt, 35, retired in 2022 with the Arizona Cardinals after a 12.5 sack season. Before that, he spent ten years with the Texans, who had just won the AFC South division title in the first year of Ryans’ time as head coach. Since then, they’ve acquired former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs, former Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon and several others in an increasingly dangerous offense led by a promising talent in rising sophomore quarterback C.J. Stroud.

“I’m a very fortunate, lucky man. I have a beautiful wife; I have a beautiful son. I’ve had 12 great years in this league, and I’m very thankful to have walked away healthy and playing great,” Watt said on Houston SportsRadio 610 when asked how he resists the allure of retiring to play for the Texans. “I told DeMeco last year, I said, ‘Don’t call unless you absolutely need it, but if you ever do call, I’ll be there.’ And he knows not to call unless he absolutely needs it. This is the last year I’ll tell him that because I’m not going to keep training the way I’ve been training, but he knows that if he ever truly does need it, I’ll be there for him. I don’t anticipate that happening. They’ve got a very good group.”

While it doesn’t seem like Watt desperately wants to come out of retirement, he certainly seems willing to do so if Ryans and the Texans give the word. He did say, however, that 2024 will be the last year he is training his body to prepare for a potential return to football. If injuries were to deplete the Texans’ defensive line, that would raise more appropriate questions about Watt’s playing status.

“I very much don’t want that to ever be the case,” Watt said of the Texans needing him because of injuries. “I hope everybody stays extremely healthy and they dominate and they don’t need any other bodies. And I just get to watch and enjoy from the couch.”

Texans general manager Nick Caserio appeared on the Pat McAfee Show last Thursday to express his openness about Watt’s potential homecoming.

“I have a lot of respect and appreciation for JJ,” Caserio said. “When I took the [GM] job in February of ’21, he was one of the first players I actually spoke to. Certainly respectful of JJ, his career, what he’s done for the organization. What he’s done for the city of Houston. I’m not going to speak for him about what he wants to do relative to playing football. I’ll let him disclose that on your show. … It’s very early. It’s May. The season doesn’t start until September, and then you look at players at the end of October or November. Case by case, so between him and [Tom] Brady, we’ll see who jumps back in first. … He [Watt] always has an open door both organizationally and in the city. He’s earned that, and he absolutely deserves it.”

The Houston Texans are going all in for 2024.

After the team acquired former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs in a trade last Wednesday, it was also announced on Friday that he would become a free agent in 2025.

Diggs, 30, originally had three years remaining on an extension he signed with the Bills. However, the Texans’ restructuring of Diggs’ new deal voided those years. This means the Pro Bowl wideout can test the waters of free agency after next season.

For Diggs, 2024 is a “prove-it” year for the controversial receiver. Despite posting 1,183 receiving yards and eight touchdown receptions, he was not as productive during the second half of the season. Making matters worse, Diggs dropped a long pass from quarterback Josh Allen in the fourth quarter of an AFC Divisional game against the Kansas City Chiefs, a match they would lose 27-24.

Both ownership and fans seemed ready to move on from Diggs, but the Texans have an opportunity to revive the optics of a player still regarded as a premiere offensive threat in the NFL. Houston quarterback CJ Stroud is coming off arguably the most outstanding rookie season in history, leading a team that was supposed to be at the bottom of the standings to an AFC South title and a blowout win in the Wild Card round.

Stroud already has two talented, young wide receivers in Tank Dell and Nico Collins. Factor in Diggs and extra motivation due to the lack of a long-term contract, the news of Diggs’ contract situation could end up being a resounding success in H-Town.

The Buffalo Bills finalized a blockbuster deal with the Houston Texans last week to trade Stefon Diggs for a 2025 second-round pick. They will also give up a 2024 sixth-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick to Houston.

This trade marks the end of the Diggs era in Buffalo – he had grown into a somewhat toxic relationship with the Bills organization. He made a “cryptic” social media post last month saying he was “ready for whatever” after being absent from a mandatory team minicamp last year. At the February Pro Bowl Games, Diggs shared doubts about his future with the Bills and quarterback Josh Allen.

“I can’t tell you what the future holds, but I’m still being me,” he said.

Now he’ll join the most up-and-coming offense in the league with quarterback C.J. Stroud, wide receivers Tank Dell and Nico Collins and a proven veteran at running back in Joe Mixon, who was acquired in a trade with the Cincinnati Bengals earlier this offseason.

Despite their playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round last season, Diggs produced well for the Bills last year. He did seem to be out of rhythm with Allen at times. After recording 100-yard receiving yards in five of his first six games, the 30-year-old averaged 51.2 receiving yards per game the rest of the season. He finished his season with 107 catches for 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns.

This still needs to change the fact that Diggs is still one of the top receivers in the NFL. That makes the idea of him pairing up with the Stroud and the Texans even more frightening for other teams around the league. Diggs will wear number one in Houston.

This will leave an exciting hole in the Bills’ wide receiver room. The team also lost receiver Gabe Davis to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency. Their depth chart at receiver consists of Curtis Samuel, Khalil Shakir, Justin Shorter and Mack Hollins.

CBS gave the Texans and Bills ‘A’ and ‘C-‘ grades on the trade, respectively. The Super Bowl champion Chiefs will now have a new team to contend with in the AFC.

The Minnesota Vikings acquired the Houston Texans’ first-round pick in a trade confirmed on Friday. The move-up in the draft order is likely a precursor to draft a quarterback to replace Kirk Cousins who recently joined the Atlanta Falcons.

In the trade, the Vikings received the No. 23 overall pick and a seventh-round pick (No. 232 overall) from Houston, who in turn secured the Vikings’ second-round pick (No. 42), their sixth-round pick and their second-round pick in 2025.

The Vikings preserved their original first-round pick at No. 11 overall which they could, in theory, package with the No. 23 overall pick in another trade to move even further up in the draft order if they are serious about drafting an elite quarterback from this year’s draft class.

These moves are similar to what the Chicago Bears did, trading Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers given that they’ll be able to draft star quarterback Caleb Williams in the number one overall pick of the draft. Experts around the NFL have referred to the Fields trade as a “robbery,” in favor of the Steelers, so the Vikings will hope they can find value with their draft picks.

Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said on Thursday that Cousins’ departure to Atlanta did not lock them into drafting a quarterback in the first round, especially since they recently signed free agent quarterback Sam Darnold on a one-year, $10 million contract as a potential filler until they can find another franchise starter.

“If the opportunity comes where that player’s available,” Adofo-Mensah said, “we’ll take it. If it’s not available in that sense, we’ll continue to build around and then find potential odds at a long-term solution, in addition to what we’ve already brought in with Sam and anybody else we require. So really, the answer isn’t some strict thing. And part of that is the flexibility we’ve wanted to put into our plan for these past couple of years.”

It’s just a wonder as to how much of a “robbery” this trade will be after the Vikings make their decision.

Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud remains in concussion protocol following a massive hit he took during the team’s 6-30 loss to the New York Jets.

“We’ll see how he progresses throughout the week,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. 

Stroud was replaced by Davis Mills, who could start next week if Stroud doesn’t pass medical clearance.

He has had a strong rookie season, leading the league in passing yardage. However, when playing against the Jets, Stroud struggled before the concussion, only throwing for 91 yards on ten for 23 passing. He also took four sacks.

The Texans have been dealing with plenty of injuries on the offense with rookie receiver Tank Dell gaining a season-ending injury and tight end Dalton Schulz missing two games so far with a hamstring issue. 

Stroud’s injury has added to the list of many quarterback injuries this season.

The Jets’ Aaron Rodgers, Bengals’ Joe Burrow, Vikings’ Kirk Cousins, Browns’ Deshaun Watson and Giants’ Daniel Jones have all suffered significant and/or season-ending injuries this season.

The Texans, who are 7-6, will face the Tennessee Titans on December 17.

Houston Texans rookie receiver Tank Dell is set to miss the rest of the 2023 season following surgery on his broken left fibula. Dell got the injury while blocking during a touchdown run by running back Dameon Pierce. 

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was optimistic about Dell’s return.

“Who knows, man? He might be back playing (in the) Super Bowl. Try to be positive about it, but it’s tough. I’m hurt. I can’t sugarcoat it,” he said. 

However, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans shot down any notion that Dell could return from injury this season. 

“He’s been such an inspiration for our team, just an incredible young man,” Ryans said. “Happy for the season he had as a rookie and the impact he has as a person and a player for our organization.”

Ryans does expect to have Dell available for the off-season spring program.

“Tank has been very valuable to our team,” Ryans continued. “He has provided a spark to our team each and every week that he’s on the field. Everybody is just waiting for that moment. You know it’s going to happen when he shows up, and [then] he makes an explosive play for us, or he’s scoring a touchdown.”

Before his injury, Dell was one of the best rookie receivers in the NFL. He had 47 catches for 709 yards and seven touchdowns.