Houston Texans Continue to Stack the Deck for CJ Stroud

The Houston Texans made another bold move on Wednesday by working a trade for Stefon Diggs. The four-time Pro Bowler gives Houston the true No. 1 wide receiver it was lacking and continues to load up the offense for quarterback C.J. Stroud.

The Buffalo Bills will receive a 2025 second-round pick, in exchange for Diggs, a 2024 sixth-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round selection. Stroud now has another cornerstone piece to build with and Houston got a high-priced wideout whose contract has an out after 2024 if he underperforms.

Houston went 10-7, finished atop the AFC South and won a playoff game last season, improving from 3-13-1 in 2022. While the Texans were an incredible turnaround success story in 2023, there were pieces missing heading into the offseason. The Texans did all of that without a true top running back or an established No. 1 receiver. They've changed that over the past few weeks.

Last month, Houston traded a 2024 seventh-round pick to acquire running back Joe Mixon from the Cincinnati Bengals, then signed him to a three-year, $27 million deal. Mixon is a former Pro Bowler who topped 1,000 yards in 2023 and has done so in four of the last six seasons, while being a solid receiver out of the backfield. It was a smart, cost-effective deal to get a productive player.

Wideout Nico Collins had a breakout season in 2023, catching 80 passes for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns. Tank Dell added 709 yards and seven touchdowns on 47 receptions, and tight end Dalton Schultz had 635 yards and five scores on 59 receptions. That was really nice production, but none of them represents a bona fide, go-to No. 1 target.

Diggs is that top target. He has played at a Pro Bowl level the past four seasons, and has led the NFL in receptions over that time with 445 catches. He finished 2023 with 107 catches for 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns. That marked six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons for the 30-year-old.

Stroud was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after throwing for 4,108 yards, with 23 touchdowns and five interceptions. It was a brilliant debut for the Ohio State product and more is expected in 2024. It will be far easier for him to live up to that hype with the pieces Houston has added around him.

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer at The Big Lead.