There's an reply to a letter in the Athletic broaching this very thing.
Any chance the Texans would trade for Trent Williams? He would solve a huge hole and the team should have the cap room for him. — Buford H.
I doubt it, but I get your logic.
Let’s first dig into why trading for Williams makes sense. Houston still has over $40 million cap space (second behind the Colts), and although Tytus Howard and Max Scharping might turn into the team’s offensive tackles of the future, it’s hard to know that right now. As the offseason program winds down, both men are practicing on the inside and outside. It’s unclear how much they’ll improve the line as rookies. Williams, on the other hand, has made seven consecutive Pro Bowls.
So why will the Texans probably not make a deal for him? Trading for Williams runs counter to general manager Brian Gaine’s entire M.O. this offseason. Despite having a huge need for a tackle, he let the Oakland Raiders make Trent Brown the richest offensive lineman in league history. And he didn’t move up a spot in the draft to grab Andre Dillard, who was widely regarded as a more pro-ready prospect than Howard. Right or wrong, Gaine doesn’t believe he needs to be overly aggressive to improve his line.
It’s unclear what exactly Williams’ absence from Redskins practice is really about — his contract or his issues with the team’s medical staff. If he does want a new deal, then it is worth considering that he will be 31 next season and hasn’t played in 16 games since 2013. Is this someone whom the Texans should invest big, long-term money into? Even if they front-loaded a new contract for Williams to utilize their immediate cap space and provide their line with a quick-fix, an obvious question would present itself: Why not instead offer big money upfront to Jadeveon Clowney, so Houston can fit him into its long term plans while maintaining room for Deshaun Watson’s second contract?
Maybe the Texans will look foolish for not adding established, sure-fire answers to their offensive line through free agency and the trade market during this offseason. Or maybe Howard and Scharping will excel as rookies. Regardless, Houston made Howard the highest-drafted offensive lineman in franchise history with hopes that he’ll occupy the left tackle spot for years to come. Adding Williams at the same might stunt the rookie’s development.
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