Texans Trade for Steelers WR Diontae Johnson Rumor: Houston Gets Better, Faster?

Houston at No. 2 and No. 12. Somewhere in there, maybe there is a franchise quarterback and/or a pass-rusher and/or a receiver. Or is there a Texans trade to be made?

The Houston Texans have a plan, and it focuses, under the leadership of coach DeMeco Ryans and GM Nick Caserio, on using this year's two premium picks in the 2023 NFL Draft as foundational pillars.

No. 2 and No. 12. Somewhere in there, maybe there is a franchise quarterback and/or a pass-rusher and/or a receiver.

Or maybe, in a suggested media move, Houston trades that pick No. 12 in exchange for wide receiver Diontae Johnson of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Not enough? Of course not. And so the media proposal also includes Houston receiving the No. 49 overall pick and No. 120 overall pick.

It's hard to calculate the fairness of a match (Trade Value Chart-wise) when it involves a veteran player. But the thinking here is that Johnson is a proven Pro Bowl-level player - he caught 86 passes for 882 yards last season and in 2021 went for 107 catches with 1,161 yards and eight TDs. ...

And that he is a proven commodity, as opposed to the receiver that might be there at No. 12.

And additionally, for a Houston roster still far to void of talent, those other two picks can also represent valuable dart throws.

Our bet, though? The plan in place is a sound one. Johnson will cost the team $16 million APY in terms of cap hits, while the player taken at No. 12 - TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston? - will be slotted into a contract that pays him a total of $19 million over four years.

The bet: Houston has gone through the pain to land the two premium picks ... and now Caserio and company want to experience the full payoff of making those two selections.

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