Texans Dubbed Striking Trade Fit for Star Defender

The Houston Texans have captured back-to-back AFC South division titles and have also won playoff games in two straight years, but it's clear they are missing some pieces.

While the Texans' biggest holes are definitely on the offensive side of the ball, they could also stand to plug some holes defensively, and one of their most significant issues is along the interior of their defensive line.

Houston could certainly use a bigger body in the middle to make life easier for Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. along the edges, and Christian D'Andrea of USA Today has identified a very intriguing potential target for the Texans: Washington Commanders star Jonathan Allen.

The Commanders recently gave Allen permission to seek a trade, and D'Andrea has named Houston as one of his top possible destinations.

"But Houston could use reinforcements — particularly in the middle of the line where Foley Fatukasi and Mario Edwards are both free agents," D'Andrea wrote. "The Texans 38.4 percent pressure rate was second-best in the NFL. Adding Allen could keep it there while dialing back the number of blitzes DeMeco Ryans calls, creating more static downfield and giving those talented young defensive backs room to thrive."

Allen played in just eight games this past season due to a torn pectoral muscle, logging 19 tackles and three sacks during his time on the field.

The 30-year-old was originally selected by Washington with the 17th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft and went on to establish himself as one of the best defensive tackles in football.

He made consecutive Pro Bowl appearances in 2021 and 2022, achieving a career-high nine sacks in the former campaign.

Allen has one year left on his deal and carries a $22.4 million cap hit for 2025, so fitting him into a tight budget may be difficult for the Texans.

However, the University of Alabama product would definitely be worth the addition.

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