A BIG DEAL
Texans trade for Broncos WR Thomas shows changing attitude in NFL toward big in-season moves
Oct 30, 2018, 1:33 pm
Demaryius Thomas is now a Texan. Justin Edmonds/Getty Images
It was not that long ago that people would call into talk shows and suggest NFL deals, and they would be laughed off the air. NFL teams simply did not make major moves, especially in season.
That all changed a few years ago when the Colts dealt Trent Richardson for a No. 1 pick. Then the Eagles dealt LeSean McCoy. Earlier this year, the Raiders parted with Khalil Mack, perhaps the most disruptive defensive player in football, for two No. 1 picks.
The Texans got in on the action before the deadline Tuesday, acquiring WR Demaryius Thomas from the Denver Broncos for a fourth-round pick. It is the biggest in-season deal the Texans have made and it happened a few hours before the 3 p.m. trade deadline.
Thomas has lost a little at age 30 and carries a $14 million cap hit for 2019, but he is also durable and remains productive and offers insurance for the oft-injured Will Fuller, who was lost for the season last week. The Texans have a similar young player to Fuller in Keke Coutee, who has been effective when on the field but has been Fuller lite when it comes to injuries, playing in just four of the Texans eight games.
Thomas is a five-time Pro Bowler, a Super Bowl winner and has not missed a game since 2011. He was on pace for 800 yards with the Broncos - numbers that should go up with Deshaun Watson throwing him the football as opposed to Case Keenum. The trade also means the Texans will not face Thomas Sunday in Denver - a positive considering the injuries in the Texans secondary.
The Philadelphia Eagles also got in on the trading action on Tuesday, acquiring WR Golden Tate from the Lions for a third-round pick. The Baltimore Ravens added Ty Montgomery from Green Bay for a seventh. The unbeaten Rams also acquired pass rusher Dante Fowler, Jr. from Jacksonville for a third and a fifth.
The Thomas deal helps add a key weapon for Houston, and the price was relatively low. They still have holes at cornerback and the offensive line, but at least this trade fixes one main concern.
Thomas just missed 1,000 yards only a year ago with a mishmash of quarterbacks, something new teammate DeAndre Hopkins has dealt with most of his Texans career. He was one of the better wide receivers available, and the Texans snatched him up.
The Texans last major deal was shipping two No. 1s to Cleveland to draft Watson, and dealing Brock Osweiler and a second-round pick to get the Ostrich and his albatross contract off the roster.
Now they have gotten involved at the trade deadline, and the result is the roster looks a lot better than it did this morning.
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The World Series begins this Friday, featuring a matchup between two teams the Astros are very familiar with, the Dodgers and the Yankees.
After watching how the NLCS and ALCS played out, one thing has become very clear. Both of these teams are capable of scoring a lot of runs. Something the Astros struggled with in the regular season and in their two playoff games against the Tigers.
Houston only scored one run through the first 15 innings of their series with Detroit. And despite having a team OPS in the Top 10 for most of the season, they were only middle of the pack when it came to runs scored.
There's no way around it, if the Astros want to compete for a championship, they're going to have to improve their offense. To be fair, they're fully capable of winning the AL West as currently constructed, but it's hard to imagine this team going toe to toe with the top offenses in baseball and having success. Especially if Alex Bregman signs elsewhere this offseason.
Considering where the team is from a salary perspective, we doubt owner Jim Crane is looking to spend a ton of money this offseason. So if the club wants to improve the offense, they'll likely have to get creative. That could involve making some trades, or just getting more out of the players they already have. A change in their hitting approach could be the answer. Like taking more pitches and working more walks.
But who knows, maybe Crane will be more aggressive after watching his team take a step back over the past two seasons. When the Yankees missed the playoffs last year, they traded for Juan Soto, and that move is already paying huge dividends.
Yankees GM takes a shot at the Astros
Brian Cashman went out of his way to blame the Yankees' World Series drought on the Astros this week. And we all know Houston's history with both the Dodgers and Yankees.
If Astros fans were forced to choose, which team would they rather see win it all this year?
Don't miss the video above for the full discussion!
*Catch our weekly Stone Cold ‘Stros podcasts. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo discuss varied Astros topics. The post for the week generally goes up Monday afternoon. Find all via The SportsMap HOU YouTube channel or listen to episodes in their entirety at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.