The No. 1 overall pick wouldn’t be as valuable as it is in the 2023 NFL draft if the Houston Texans had just lost to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 18.
The Texans winning 32-31 allowed the Chicago Bears to take the top selection following their Week 18 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Chicago doesn’t need a quarterback as they have Justin Fields, but there are three other teams they are willing to make a deal with to help those clubs jump over Houston at No. 2 overall and take the best quarterback.
According to Luke Easterling from the Draft Wire, the Texans don’t play around in their pursuit of Alabama signal caller Bryce Young and send their No. 12 overall pick — obtained via 2022 offseason trade with the Cleveland Browns — to the Bears.
The Texans’ dramatic comeback win over the Indianapolis Colts costs them the No. 12 overall pick, as they flip their additional first-rounder to the Bears to get back into the No. 1 spot. Young might be undersized, but he’s just way too good at everything that actually matters when it comes to quarterback play.
Even though the Texans aren’t picking again in Round 1, they are still able to address portions of their defense with significant selections.
The Texans use No. 33 overall in Round 2 — essentially the first pick outside the first round in any other draft — to take Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson.
Houston then uses its No. 65 pick in Round 3 to select Notre Dame defensive end Isaiah Foskey, who has been a favorite to come to the Texans and help the pass rush since last offseason.
Rookie coach DeMeco Ryans gets some beef in the interior of the defensive line with Northwestern defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore.
While trading up for the No. 1 overall pick that the Texans basically possessed all last season does leave the organization with egg on its face, the results through Day 2 are encouraging enough.
