The trade market could benefit the Texans. Composite Getty Image.
It was a busy day in the NFL on Tuesday, as teams had to make their final decisions on whether to use the franchise tag. The Houston Texans opted not to use the tag, but did agree to a 3-year, $36 million contract extension with tight end Dalton Schultz.
Which means several of the team's top defenders will hit the market in free agency, unless they are able to get a deal done by Wednesday, March 13 before 4PM/ET. DE Jonathan Greenard, CB Steven Nelson, and LB Blake Cashman will be coveted by other teams, and certainly missed if the Texans are unable to bring them back.
Corners Tavierre Thomas, and Desmond King are also set to be free agents. Meaning, Derek Stingley is the only legitimate corner currently on the roster. And as good as he was last season, he has missed 14 games in his two-year career.
The Kansas City Chiefs also had some tough choices to make this week, choosing to use the franchise tag on their elite corner Ladarius Snead. Which means defensive lineman Chris Jones will be a highly sought after free agent when the legal tampering period begins on Monday.
What's interesting about Snead is the Chiefs are reportedly willing to trade him if they can't sign him to a long-term contract. Bleacher Report recently published an article naming seven teams that should pursue Snead on the trade market, with Houston being one of those teams.
Which makes a ton of sense considering the Texans are short-handed at corner and have a ton of cap space even after the Schultz and Ka'imi Fairbairn (3-year, $15.9 million) contracts.
And cap space they will need because Snead will carry a 2024 cap hit of $19.8 million if he remains on the franchise tag. Of course, the goal would be to sign him to an extension. But even when they do that, he'll command a salary of around $20 million per year.
Which is what teams should expect to pay for an elite corner that's in the prime of his career.
How much will the Texans have to give up in a trade?
Via: Bleacher Report:
In a vacuum, Sneed is probably worth a first-round draft pick. That may be where Kansas City starts its negotiations.
Although Sneed has never been named to the Pro Bowl, he was easily one of the NFL's top cover corners in 2023. The 27-year-old allowed an opposing passer rating of only 56.2 in coverage, and he didn't allow a single touchdown during the regular season despite being targeted 100 times.
A first round pick feels a little sporty if the Texans are going to have to pay him a top of the market corner salary. In the video below, they reference an article from Texans Wire that addresses the compensation. Would Kansas City be willing to take a second-round pick? Or perhaps the Chiefs (No. 32) swap first-round picks with Houston (No. 23), and the Texans throw in a third-rounder to get the deal done.
It may sound like a lot, but this would arguably give the Texans the best corner duo in the NFL. And keep in mind, the Texans are going to have to attack this position one way or another with only Stingley in the fold currently.
They could do a blockbuster trade for Snead that would cost them draft picks and a salary of around $20 a year.
Or, they could go after a soon-to-be free agent like Steven Nelson, that would cost around half that.
The draft is another way they could go, which means you're surrendering a first or second round pick for a prospect that may or may not pan out.
Whichever way they choose to proceed, they have to add two starting-caliber corners to the roster.
Be sure to check out the video above for all the pros and cons of pulling off a blockbuster trade for Snead.
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.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
