Here’s how Houston Texans could make huge pre-draft splash
BREAK THE BANK
28 February 2023
For the first time in years, the Houston Texans are in a position where they have a large amount of salary cap space and are flush with draft capital to make significant improvements to the roster.
GM Nick Caserio can make a splash in free agency and try to “buy” one of the top players on the market, or he can spread around his budget in free agency and prioritize bodies over talent.
When we asked NFL.com's draft expert Lance Zierlein about how the Texans should proceed, he said he believes the Texans should be bold and go after a highly coveted free agent. Some of the names we discussed were Saints DL Marcus Davenport, and Bills LB Tremaine Edmunds. A wide receiver like DJ Chark or Jakobi Meyers could also be a good fit for the Texans, especially if disgruntled WR Brandin Cooks has played his last game in a Texans uniform.
Finally, Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest mock draft has the Texans trading to No. 1 and selecting Bryce Young. His thought is the compensation could be similar to what the Bears had to give up to climb one spot and select Mitchell Trubisky (swap first rounders, 3rd round pick, 4th round pick, 2024 third round pick). If this is indeed what it would require to move up to No.1, should the Texans make the deal?
Be sure to check out the video above as we cover all the angles!
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José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.
Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.
He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.
Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.
Key moment
The home run by Peraza.
Key stat
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
Up next
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
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