In the end, some of it sounds like commentary. There is a family tradition where we play golf and a game of poker every year. In some instances, someone has placed a specific part of the male anatomy on the table to cover a bet. Obviously, that’s hyperbole when it’s done and done just for a series of laughs, but it’s one of those moments when an NFL general manager puts a proverbial body part on the table to cover a bet where he’s potentially light.
So, in essence, that means the Texans just traded a 2027 second round pick for Marvin Harrison Jr. He is in the third year of a four-year rookie deal with a fifth-year option for first rounders. Let’s ignore for a moment what his current numbers are. This deal brings up two unique questions that every Texan fan has to face now that the Texans are 1-4.
First, are you a football player away from being on a playoff team? This is a fair question. Two teams in NFL history have come from 0-4 to make the playoffs. The San Diego Chargers were the last to do it and they are no longer in San Diego. Perhaps the 17th game changes the calculus to some. They’re probably looking at the middle of their schedule and hoping to get back to around .500 before a tough stretch to close out the season. Perhaps, getting the Marvin Harrison that the Cardinals thought they were getting will open it up.
The second question is whether the wide receiver is the player they need to make that jump. Let’s not care if THIS wide receiver is needed. You can make convincing arguments for an upgrade on the offensive line, maybe a better running back, or maybe someone to shore up your linebacking core. Then, there are questions about Harrison himself. Even ignoring this season, he’s not the number one wide receiver everyone thinks he is.
From a value perspective, this one is a risk. If Harrison turns out to be another Tee Higgins (1B to Nico Collins 1A) then the Houston offense could be transformed into something different than what we have seen. We have to remember that Jayden Higgins is a second round pick and that kind of performance will go far and beyond what Higgins did last season and is likely to do this season. However, we have yet to see it and it remains to be seen if Nick Caley is the play caller to bring that out to him.
Step away from all of this and you have to wonder what this means for Nick Caserio. Caserio is on track to start it again next season even if the club misses the playoffs. When you make it to the postseason three years in a row then you get the mulligan on the spec. This deal changes that. If it goes well, he’ll likely extend his time in Houston by a season or two. If it blew up in his face he would have just put himself in the hot seat. It will be interesting to see how this all pans out.