The Texans could be seeking out another acquisition to bring into the room, and make this ground attack a little more explosive
The Houston Texans might be looking to get active at this year's NFL trade deadline, potentially for a move to upgrade their backfield situation.
According to ESPN insider Dan Graziano, the Texans are one of two teams mentioned in trade rumors for a running back move leading up to next month's trade deadline, along with the Los Angeles Chargers.
"There will be teams interested in picking up a running back, with the Chargers and Texans being two teams I've heard mentioned," Graziano wrote. And there are sure to be others."
The Texans, throughout the course of their initial six games on the season, have seen their running back room led by the tandem of veteran Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks. Both have been filling in place of last year's starter Joe Mixon, who hasn't seen any clear update on when he might be able to return to the field.
Now, it looks like the Texans could be seeking out another acquisition to bring into the room, and make this ground attack a little more explosive.
Texans Among Teams Rumored to Make Trade for RB
Through six games, the Texans have ranked around the middle of the pack in the NFL for their rushing effectiveness; 18th in rushing yards per game (106.2), 16th in rushing EPA/play (-0.04), and 25th in total rushing touchdowns (5).
The Texans do a majority of their offensive damage through the air, so seeing them a few steps back in the run game is no surprise. However, DeMeco Ryans has emphasized keeping the ground game consistent and established in recent weeks to hint that he may prefer a more balanced attack out of his group.
"The things that have worked the past couple of weeks offensively is just us being able to stay committed to the run game, and run the football," Ryans said before facing the Seattle Seahawks. "When you can run the ball, you can sustain drives, that's the key. And that'll be the key for us moving forward."
Now fresh off their second-worst game on the ground against Seattle with less than 60 total rushing yards on the day, maybe this is the point of the season that an offensive upgrade in the backfield could make sense.
It remains to be seen who on the market could be readily available for the taking, though. New York Jets running back Breece Hall has seen his name thrown into lingering deadline rumors amid his expiring contract and his surrounding situation in the process, even with links to the Texans in the process. But that may or may not come to fruition.
Perhaps he could be of interest, or another fresh set of young legs pops up in the next two weeks that could gain some traction with Houston as well. The Texans have future assets in the form of draft selections, and even a potential player or two with interest that could also be thrown into a hypothetical package.
All of that's to say, keep a keen eye on general manager Nick Caserio and the Texans on the trade market around this time of year, as a splash could very well be brewing behind the scenes.
Steelers Part Ways with Injured Offensive Lineman Gareth Warren
PITTSBURGH — After an injury knocked a rookie Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman out of action, his time with the organization has officially come to an end. The Steelers waived Gareth Warren, a massive, 22-year-old offensive tackle, according to the NFL's transaction list.
The move comes after Warren was injured during the Steelers’ second preseason game. Diving for a loose ball, he received a concussion and was unable to return for the rest of preseason action. After being waived with the final roster cuts, the team placed him on the Reserved/Injured List. Now healthy, the team is parting ways with him altogether.
With this designation, Warren is now free to sign with any other NFL team.
Unexpected Rise
Warren joined the Steelers after going undrafted during the 2025 NFL Draft. The 6’6”, 330-pound tackle was passed over after finishing his collegiate career at the FCS school Lindenwood. With several NFL teams interested in signing him as an undrafted free agent, he chose to sign in
The step was a continuation of Warren’s rise up the ranks. Born in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, he was a standout player at Kealakaehe High School before becoming joining the Lindenwood Lions. As a junior, he was a part of an offensive line that dominated the conference and FCS competition. The Lions averaged 39.5 points per game and 509.1 yards per game, both tops in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC).
Lack of Opportunity
Despite showing promise and potential, the road to a spot on the 53-man roster was long. And the road to becoming an impact player at the tackle position even longer.
It’s no disrespect to Warren, but he’s an unrefined player in need of further development and more attention in order to take that next step. Receiving that in Pittsburgh was a low possibility.
The Steelers have two young tackles they fully believe in already. Troy Fautanu has already become an unquestioned staple on the right side, despite this being his first year of playing regular season games in the NFL.
Broderick Jones has similarly gained more and more trust from the Steelers’ coaching staff and starting quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. He and Fautanu haven’t allowed a sack in two straight games, and the offensive line is gelling more and more as the season progresses.
Behind Jones and Fautanu, the Steelers also have veterans like Dylan Cook and Andrus Peat that can step up in the case of injury.
The result is a crowded path for Warren to become an NFL player, and the Steelers are now giving him the chance to catch on somewhere else.
