Back in the 2023 NFL draft, the Houston Texans made a trade with the Arizona Cardinals. One of the fine-print details in the blockbuster trade turned out to be a savvy gamble on his own team by Texans GM Nick Caserio.
In the trade, the Texans moved up to No. 3 overall to select EDGE Will Anderson. The haul for the Cardinals was significant:
- No. 12 overall (which Arizona also traded)
- No. 33 overall (which Arizona also traded)
- 2024 1st-round pick
- 2024 3rd-round pick
It’s that 2024 first-rounder where Caserio made out. At the time of the trade, the Texans held two first-round picks for the 2024 draft. In addition to their own, they also held the Cleveland Browns’ top selection as a result of the Deshaun Watson trade. The Cardinals had some trade leverage in choosing which of those Texans’ picks they wanted in the trade.
Caserio pushed to keep the Browns’ pick and dealt away Houston’s own. At the time, it looked like a poor decision. While the Browns weren’t expected to be great, they were widely perceived as having a higher ceiling in 2023 than the Texans. With Houston coming off a 3-13-1 season in 2022 and with questions at several key positions, it was hard to blame anyone for thinking the Texans were destined for another top-5 overall pick.
A funny thing happened on the way to the podium for the Cardinals. The Texans wound up having a much more successful season than anticipated. Houston won the AFC South with a 10-7 record, with Anderson being a key reason why the Texans defense got better. The Texans then beat the Browns, who finished 11-6, in the first round of the playoffs.
The Browns earned the No. 23 overall pick. Houston earned the No. 27 slot after losing to the Ravens on Saturday. The Texans get Cleveland’s slot at 23, while Arizona, which finished 4-13, gets Houston’s own pick at 27. The gamble on the draft detail saved the Texans four slots.
