Texans Could Trade Three Players Not Named Azeez Al-Shaair

In recent days, the Houston Texans have found themselves facing a few lingering trade rumors revolving around their Pro Bowl linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, entering the final year of his existing contract rolling into 2026 without an extension, leading to speculation of whether the veteran defender remains a piece of this unit for the future.

Those rumors, to put it bluntly, are ridiculous.

Barring any unforeseen shakeups, the Texans are almost certain to bring Al-Shaair back into the mix this season and for years to come. He's a team captain and heartbeat of Houston's elite defense, coming off his best season in H-Town, and essentially acts as the quarterback of that side of the ball. His impact is immense, and so is his value for Houston's defense.

But that shouldn't count out the Texans from making any other moves down the line of this offseason. We're still a month away from the draft taking place in April, giving Houston and their front office ample flexibility to make a few roster moves before that time officially arrives, even if it may not involve Al-Shaair.

With that in mind, let's break down three potential trade candidates to keep an eye on for the Texans who are not their Pro Bowl-level linebacker:

1. Blake Fisher, OT

Aug 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans offensive tackle Blake Fisher (57) in action during the game against the Carolina Panthers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Texans have made similar trade in the past couple of offseasons regarding some of their former top picks at offensive line that could set up for a similar fallout for 2024 second-round pick Blake Fisher.

Fisher, who was brought into Houston with high hopes of being a long-term fit at right tackle, just hasn't established a consistent weeky role on this starting unit, with a status that looks even bleaker headed into 2026 as he's set to compete with both Trent Brown and Blake Fisher to get any playing time.

Instead of keeping him stuffed down the bench, maybe the Texans could cash in on a late-round pick for Fisher to add further onto their draft stockpile for next month.

2. Xavier Hutchinson, WR

Nov 30, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) celebrates with wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson (19) after scoring a touchdown during the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Hutchinson was a productive and reliable depth piece of the Texans' wide receiver room last year, hauling in 35 catches for 428 yards and a touchdown, his higest total catches and yards in a single season since joining in 2023.

But even when factoring in the step forward, there's a world where those numbers are on a downward trend in 2025. Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel are eyeing a bigger year-two role, and Tank Dell is finally back healthy, which could end up slotting Hutchinson down as WR4 or 5 on the depth chart, and that's before any action in the draft takes place.

Especially now that he's headed into the last year of his rookie contract, without his future in Houston being exactly locked in, maybe the front office pokes around the trade market to see if there's any lingering value they can cling onto. If not, he's sure to be welcomed back into the mix for a fourth season.

3. Jaylen Reed, S

Jan 18, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; Houston Texans safety Jaylen Reed (23) warms up before an AFC Divisional Round game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

In the pockets that he was available and on the field last year, Reed was a surprisingly appealing part of the Texans' secondary, coming in as a sixth-round rookie who increasingly found his way to a bigger role and more confidence from the Houston coaching staff as the season progressed.

But injuries would inevitably start to take a toll, as he would only be active for seven games and start in one due to a couple of different issues taking place in the start and tail-end of his year. Without that availability, it led to Houston dialing in on that strength at safety for 2026, re-signing M.J. Stewart to a new contract, while also adding former Philadelphia Eagles team captain Reed Blankenship.

Reed might not have a ton of value on the trade market, simply due to that small sample size and injury history. But if there is anything that Houston could claim in a move to ship him elsewhere, the idea certainly isn't impossible to come alive as the offseason moves forward and their safety unit now looks refreshed.

Sign up for our free Houston Texans On SI newsletter, and get breaking Texans news delivered to your inbox daily!