With injuries piling up Texans look to trade market for reinforcements
Texans trade with Raiders for former first-round pick Gareon Conley
Oct 21, 2019, 2:22 pm
With injuries piling up Texans look to trade market for reinforcements
The Texans made yet another trade to bolster a weak position.
Breaking: #Raiders traded CB Gareon Conley to the #Texans for a 3rd round pick, sources said.
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) October 21, 2019
The Texans potentially have a few third round picks, including a third round selection from the Seahawks. The price isn't extreme for a former first-round talent.
Raiders trade Gareon Conley to Houston, per @VicTafur.
— Austin Gayle (@PFF_AustinGayle) October 21, 2019
Conley underwhelmed in Oakland but was given little opportunity to play man coverage like he did at OSU.
Houston runs man coverage at the fourth-highest rate in the NFL; he'll perform better in HOU, imo.
With the injuries to the secondary he helps a ton right now. Johnathan Joseph and his issues are up in the air right now. Bradley Roby is down for a little while longer with his hamstring injury. Philip Gaines left the Colts game with an injury and his status is unknown.
He should be able to play right away across from Lonnie Johnson should Joseph not be ready come Sunday.
Conley only has three penalties called on him this season as well and just four penalties in 15 games last year for the Raiders as well.
SportsMap's Lance Zierlein compared him to Aqib Talib in the pre-draft process.
The Texans play the Raiders this weekend. That is a very strange scenario but of course the Texans need help now. There has to be some level of motivation for Conley to prove he is more valuable than the Raiders view him.
It was my understanding in 2017 the Texans had some level of interest in Conley as far as drafting him. Obviously they moved up to get Deshaun Watson so Conley was never truly considered but they did their homework on him to a good depth from what I was told at the time.
The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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