Immediate Challenge to New Titans Secondary: Texans Are Trading for Pro Bowl Receiver Stefon Diggs

It's easy to get excited about the thought of Houston's receivers competing against the Tennessee Titans' rebuilt secondary with free-agent stars L'Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie.

Jan 21, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) against the / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

NASHVILLE — The AFC South champion Houston Texans are trading for four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs — a blockbuster NFL transaction and the Texans' latest warning shot to the Tennessee Titans and their division rivals.

Houston sends a 2025 second-round pick to Buffalo in exchange for Diggs, a 2024 sixth-round pick, and a 2025 fifth-round pick.

The Texans offense, led by NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback C.J. Stroud, now has added Diggs and former Cincinnati running back Joe Mixon this offseason to go along with existing weapons Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Dalton Schultz.

Since the beginning of free agency March 13, the Texans and Titans have seemingly been trading salvos with player acquisitions. Houston aims to defend its division title. Tennessee is rebuilding a challenger for that title.

The Diggs trade adds even more anticipation to the 2024 regular season and the home and away matchups between the Titans and Texans. It's easy to get excited about the thought of Houston's receivers competing against the Titans' rebuilt secondary with free-agent pickups L'Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie.

The Texans also have signed:

• Former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter, a four-time Pro Bowler with 87.5 career sacks in 90 games. The expectation is that Hunter can elevate a defense that set a franchise record in sacks and already has Will Anderson.
• Denico Autry and Azeez Al-Shaair, arguably the Titans' best defenders in 2023. Autry led the team in quarterback sacks, Al-Shaair led in tackles.

Carthon acknowledged Tuesday that replacing Autry and Al-Shaair would be difficult.

"Denico and Azeez were two vital members of our team," Carthon said. "Azeez was an official captain, and Denico was an unofficial captain, as you guys know. So those guys played huge parts for us, and it's going to suck to see them leave and have to play them twice a year. But we feel like we'll find ways to get better and replace those guys."

According to overthecap.com, the Titans have $24,714,744 in effective cap space left after signing Sneed, Ridley, and the rest of their free-agent class. The Titans are focused now on the April 25-27 NFL Draft, where they are expected to take a left tackle with their No. 7 overall pick, but Carthon didn't rule out the possibility of the team making more moves later thism offseason.

"From a free agency standpoint, free agency is open, it's not over," Carthon said. "So, we're going to continue to look. And then obviously we got the draft, which has taken our focus now.

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