Texans Trade Maliek Collins To 49ers For Seventh-Round Draft Pick
The Houston Texans traded for a player on Tuesday. Now, they're shipping off one of their own.
The Texans are trading defensive tackle Maliek Collins to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2024 seventh-round pick, according to ESPN. Collins still has two years remaining on his current contract but should be a plug-and-play fit under new coordinator Nick Sorensen.
Collins, 28, initially inked a one-year deal with the Texans back in 2021 under then-coach David Culley. He flourished in Love Smith's 4-3 defensive front, totaling a then-career-high in tackles (29), tackles for loss (nine) and interceptions (one).
He agreed to a two-year extension worth $17 million before the start of the 2022 free agency. Collins later agreed to another two-year deal worth up to $23 million last offseason.
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In three years with the Texans, Collins totaled 107 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, and 37 QB hits.
The Texans should feel content with the current state of their defense following the singings of former Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Denico Autry and Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter.
Aurty, who's coming off an 11.5 sack season with Houston's AFC South rival, signed a two-year deal worth $20 million. Hunter, a four-time Pro Bowler coming off a career-high 16.5 sack season, inked a two-year contract worth $49 million, $48 million of which is guaranteed.
The Texans also signed former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi to a one-year dea before the start of free agency. Last season, Fatukasi had 24 tackles, three tackles for loss and three quarterback hits in 16 games. In 2021, he recorded 24 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 14 appearances.
Houston could pivot back to signing veteran defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins to a long-term team-friendly deal with Collins' departure. Rankins, a former first-round pick signed a one-year, $10.5 million deal, and was one of several free agents who hit their stride while helping the franchise clinch its first division title in four years.
Several sources close to the situation have told TexansDaily.com there's mutual interest on both sides to sign a deal this offseason, though nothing was imminent entering the legal tampering period. Houston chose not to use the franchise tag on Rankins which would have cost $22.1 million against the cap.
With the seventh-round pick, Houston recouped its pick used to add running back Joe Mixon from the Cincinnati Bengals. Mixon, 27, is entering the final year of his current contract but was expected to be released if the Texans didn't pull the trigger on a trade.
Should the Texans pass on bringing back Rankins, the NFL draft serves as the best option for replacing Collins. Houston has been linked to several defensive line draft prospects, including Illinois' Johnny Newton, Texas' Byron Murphy and T'Vondre Sweat, Florida State's Braden Fiske and Missouri's Darius Robinson.
