July 17, 2026 • 5 mins
Thursday on The A-Team, Adam Clanton and Adam Wexler react to Bill Barnwell's latest article examining which NFL players are worth first-round picks in a trade. The guys break down Barnwell's assessment of the Texans, including his belief that both C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. would command at least two first-round picks in a deal. Listen to the full conversation as Clanton and Wexler discuss what those projected trade values say about Houston's roster and what they could mean for the franchise's short- and long-term outlook.
Plus, they examine where Nico Collins fits into the Texans' trade-value conversation.
Plus, they examine where Nico Collins fits into the Texans' trade-value conversation.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let's talk about the players worth round one picks by team. Okay,
these are the NFL trade tiers, and let's just skip
straight ahead to the Houston Texans.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
I can appreciate where we are in the off season,
and all huh, I was reaching. It would have been
for the Texans. Quite honestly, in one area it actually wasn't.
It's a pretty big reach as an article and in general.
But read the part about the Texans. I'll tell you
why it actually makes sense.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
All right, this will fetch you two first round picks
and more. Okay, that's what this This is how this
is set up. Willy Anderson Junior and CJ. Stroud, those
are the two that can fetch you that one first
round pick and more is assigned to Derek Stingley Junior
and one first round pick. That's all you're getting back
(00:53):
if you trade this person. Nico Collins, Danielle Hunter and
Kamario Lassiter. So let's start from the back to the front.
Those three players that could get you a first round pick.
I don't think it's out of the question that that
could actually happen. Here's why, Nico Collins, maybe you decide
that Jayden Higgins is what you hoped he would be,
and more so, you feel like you're in good shape.
(01:14):
First of all, And I'm not saying immediately, I don't
even think this year, the contractor you have Nico Collins under,
even with the newest one, is so affordable. I don't
think there's any reason that they would move on from him.
But as you move closer to the end of it,
or closer to a third extension for him, then maybe
that would be in play, and that's how you could
do it, and another team would be willing to take
(01:35):
it on.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
And they're the team. Oh, he can get an extension
from them, can't get it from Houston, So he would
want to move to someone who could give it to him.
If for some reason, the Texans do not have a
good year, I could understand Daniel Hunter being moved. They
would really have to be in bad shape and they
would already have to have players that were definitely not
returning that were setting up this bad season. Now, the
trade deadlines a little bit further into the season, so
(01:57):
more of the season's played out, so you have a
little bit better idea. But even then you wouldn't be
eliminated from the playoffs. But you might consider yourselves eliminated
from real competition because of who some players you might
not have. Like if the two players at the top
of the list that are worth two first round picks,
if they're not playing and they're not coming back, then
I could see that kind of season unfolding. And in
(02:17):
Lassener's case, the unfortunate part about that being so close
to true is if you are so confident in who
you have put on this roster defensively, and who knows,
maybe Terry and Arnold is a Texan and you're playing
a third straight year of Kamari Lasser being unbelievable and
(02:37):
he's making second round pick money, which is this year.
So he goes into the final year of his deal
and you know you're not going to resign him, and
he knows you're not going to resign him. You spend
all your money elsewhere, and you still got to give
the CJ contract because he's played so well. Then maybe
he's somebody that doesn't get a second contract, and because
of that you decide, well, his value is very high.
(02:58):
He plays a premium position. Let's go ahead and move
him before he moves along himself. I hate everything with
them and I don't think the Texans would do that.
But that's the scenario where that actually could happen. One
first round pick or more Dare Singley Junior, and you
just basically be saying the opposite thing. He's further along
(03:19):
in his career, I guess a touch more injury prono,
where although after his season one he's been perfectly capable
of not having any catastrophic injuries, he's played hurt. He's
so elite to both of those guys. By the way,
we're part of the top eleven corners in the NFL
on that pole we've been talking about for a while
that Jeremy Fowler has compiled as NFL corners, which also
(03:41):
means this is why you're winning. This is why you're
not wanting to move on from either one of them,
even if you can get a first round pick in return.
Use the third pick in the draft on Derek Stingley Junior.
Are you getting the third pick in return? Are you
getting a top ten pick in return? Probably not, unless
you got really lucky that some team was willing to
give you a pick that had that much fluctuation to it.
The real conversation, though, is at the top of the
(04:02):
list because we don't have to talk about Willy Anderson
Junior at all.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
He's not only not going anywhere, he's signed an extension.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
He's the type of player like TJ. Watt. I think,
is it possible they're not going to come to an agreement?
Is could Pittsburgh do this or that. No, they're gonna
resign him, and then they're gonna resign him, and then
they're gonna resign him, and the Texans are going to
do that with Will Anderson Junior. The only reason it
didn't happen with JJ Watt is because the franchise completely
fell apart and he then became a bit of an
(04:30):
injury issue. I'm sure for the first five or six
years of JJ playing every single game on the schedule,
we thought, of course, he's going to be a lifer here.
He thought the same thing. I do think that about
Will Anderson Junior. So no need for convo on that
after this season's performance from CJ. Stroud, when you have
technically three more years of club control, first of those
(04:52):
years would be under his fifth year option, which he
would hate to play under the next year would be
under a franchise tag, which we would hate to play under,
and the next year be under a second franchise tag,
which he would again hate to play under. If he
plays well enough that you keep doing that, that would
be okay. But if you have not extended him and
have no plans to extend him after next year and
(05:12):
you can get two first round picks and more for him,
you've made your decision on who he is for you.
Not the answer at quarterback.
Let's talk about the players worth round one picks by team. Okay,
these are the NFL trade tiers, and let's just skip
straight ahead to the Houston Texans.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
I can appreciate where we are in the off season,
and all huh, I was reaching. It would have been
for the Texans. Quite honestly, in one area it actually wasn't.
It's a pretty big reach as an article and in general.
But read the part about the Texans. I'll tell you
why it actually makes sense.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
All right, this will fetch you two first round picks
and more. Okay, that's what this This is how this
is set up. Willy Anderson Junior and CJ. Stroud, those
are the two that can fetch you that one first
round pick and more is assigned to Derek Stingley Junior
and one first round pick. That's all you're getting back
(00:53):
if you trade this person. Nico Collins, Danielle Hunter and
Kamario Lassiter. So let's start from the back to the front.
Those three players that could get you a first round pick.
I don't think it's out of the question that that
could actually happen. Here's why, Nico Collins, maybe you decide
that Jayden Higgins is what you hoped he would be,
and more so, you feel like you're in good shape.
(01:14):
First of all, And I'm not saying immediately, I don't
even think this year, the contractor you have Nico Collins under,
even with the newest one, is so affordable. I don't
think there's any reason that they would move on from him.
But as you move closer to the end of it,
or closer to a third extension for him, then maybe
that would be in play, and that's how you could
do it, and another team would be willing to take
(01:35):
it on.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
And they're the team. Oh, he can get an extension
from them, can't get it from Houston, So he would
want to move to someone who could give it to him.
If for some reason, the Texans do not have a
good year, I could understand Daniel Hunter being moved. They
would really have to be in bad shape and they
would already have to have players that were definitely not
returning that were setting up this bad season. Now, the
trade deadlines a little bit further into the season, so
(01:57):
more of the season's played out, so you have a
little bit better idea. But even then you wouldn't be
eliminated from the playoffs. But you might consider yourselves eliminated
from real competition because of who some players you might
not have. Like if the two players at the top
of the list that are worth two first round picks,
if they're not playing and they're not coming back, then
I could see that kind of season unfolding. And in
(02:17):
Lassener's case, the unfortunate part about that being so close
to true is if you are so confident in who
you have put on this roster defensively, and who knows,
maybe Terry and Arnold is a Texan and you're playing
a third straight year of Kamari Lasser being unbelievable and
(02:37):
he's making second round pick money, which is this year.
So he goes into the final year of his deal
and you know you're not going to resign him, and
he knows you're not going to resign him. You spend
all your money elsewhere, and you still got to give
the CJ contract because he's played so well. Then maybe
he's somebody that doesn't get a second contract, and because
of that you decide, well, his value is very high.
(02:58):
He plays a premium position. Let's go ahead and move
him before he moves along himself. I hate everything with
them and I don't think the Texans would do that.
But that's the scenario where that actually could happen. One
first round pick or more Dare Singley Junior, and you
just basically be saying the opposite thing. He's further along
(03:19):
in his career, I guess a touch more injury prono,
where although after his season one he's been perfectly capable
of not having any catastrophic injuries, he's played hurt. He's
so elite to both of those guys. By the way,
we're part of the top eleven corners in the NFL
on that pole we've been talking about for a while
that Jeremy Fowler has compiled as NFL corners, which also
(03:41):
means this is why you're winning. This is why you're
not wanting to move on from either one of them,
even if you can get a first round pick in return.
Use the third pick in the draft on Derek Stingley Junior.
Are you getting the third pick in return? Are you
getting a top ten pick in return? Probably not, unless
you got really lucky that some team was willing to
give you a pick that had that much fluctuation to it.
The real conversation, though, is at the top of the
(04:02):
list because we don't have to talk about Willy Anderson
Junior at all.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
He's not only not going anywhere, he's signed an extension.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
He's the type of player like TJ. Watt. I think,
is it possible they're not going to come to an agreement?
Is could Pittsburgh do this or that. No, they're gonna
resign him, and then they're gonna resign him, and then
they're gonna resign him, and the Texans are going to
do that with Will Anderson Junior. The only reason it
didn't happen with JJ Watt is because the franchise completely
fell apart and he then became a bit of an
(04:30):
injury issue. I'm sure for the first five or six
years of JJ playing every single game on the schedule,
we thought, of course, he's going to be a lifer here.
He thought the same thing. I do think that about
Will Anderson Junior. So no need for convo on that
after this season's performance from CJ. Stroud, when you have
technically three more years of club control, first of those
(04:52):
years would be under his fifth year option, which he
would hate to play under the next year would be
under a franchise tag, which we would hate to play under,
and the next year be under a second franchise tag,
which he would again hate to play under. If he
plays well enough that you keep doing that, that would
be okay. But if you have not extended him and
have no plans to extend him after next year and
(05:12):
you can get two first round picks and more for him,
you've made your decision on who he is for you.
Not the answer at quarterback.
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