Texans made NFL history after Stefon Diggs trade

Tyler Greenawalt

Texans made NFL history after Stefon Diggs trade image

Texans general manager Nick Caserio went out and added insanely productive veterans this offseason.

Houston signed edge rusher Danielle Hunter, traded for running back Joe Mixon and traded for Stefon Diggs all within a month of each other. Those additions should push the Texans into Super Bowl contention territory after all three had huge seasons this past year.

These acquisitions also marked the first time in NFL history that a team added a 100-catch receiver, a 1,000-yard running back and a 10-sack defensive player in one offseason.

All three players have done this a lot in their respective careers, too.

Diggs finished with a 100-catch, 1,000-yard receiving season for the fourth consecutive season. He also did this in 2018 and almost in 2019. Mixon rushed for 1,034 yards in 2023 — the fourth time in his career he's crossed that threshold. Hunter, meanwhile, set a career-high with 16.5 sacks this past season. He's recorded more than 10 sacks in a year five total times since being drafted in the third round in 2015.

Diggs, Mixon and Hunter should immediately become impact players for Houston in 2024. Diggs will be C.J. Stroud's first or second receiving option, Mixon will assume starting responsibilities out of the backfield and Hunter joins Will Anderson Jr. on the edges of the defensive line.

Now, there's inherent risk involved with adding successful players. It's impossible to predict future production — especially on a new team. Diggs' production plummeted as the 2023 season went on, Mixon did not run efficiently and Hunter has some injury concerns. Diggs and Hunter will both be at least 30 years old, while Mixon will turn 28 this summer.

But these are the type of moves a young team like Houston must make to take the next step. Stroud and Anderson are studs, but the rest of the team's youth could be a concern if they're unable to replicate the success of this past season. Adding experienced veterans ensures that there will be at least a little more reliability on the field than the original roster.

Tyler Greenawalt

Tyler Greenawalt Photo

 

Tyler Greenawalt is a contributing writer for The Sporting News after stops at Yahoo Sports, USA Today Sports and Turner Sports. He’s worked in written, video, social media and augmented reality content since he graduated from Syracuse University in 2014. His favorite teams – the New York Jets, Orlando Magic and Tottenham Hotspur – always find new and exciting ways to disappoint him, and he consistently questions his fandom. You can follow his bad sports takes at @TyGreen14 on X.