The Houston Texans are in serious need of receiving help this offseason, so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that they have engaged in trade talks for San Francisco 49ers star Deebo Samuel.
However, while Samuel may be a big name and could represent a nice get for the Texans, he definitely comes with some caveats.
Ryan Heckman of Toro Times has expressed some caution over the possibility of Houston swinging a deal for Samuel, noting that the 29-year-old has had some difficulty staying on the field.
"The one thing to keep in mind with Samuel, however, is his recent inability to stay healthy. Each of the past few seasons, Samuel has missed anywhere from 2-5 games due to injury," Heckman wrote. "However, some of the games he's started, he hasn't finished or he's been less than 100 percent when on the field. His inability to stay healthy is a big reason why San Francisco would be willing to move him; that, and his being in the final year of his contract."
Heckman added that the Texans need to be very careful about overpaying for Samuel, especially given his checkered injury history.
Not only that, but Samuel has shown some pretty clear signs of decline. This past season, he caught 51 passes for 670 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 136 yards and a score.
That marked Samuel's lowest total yards from scrimmage since 2020, and that season, he only played in seven games.
Samuel is a former Pro Bowler and also has a First-Team All-Pro selection under his belt, but he may not be the elite weapon that his name may suggest that he is. At least not at this stage of his career.
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