The Houston Texans head into their bye week at a 2-5 record after the events of this weekend's overtime loss against the New York Giants.
The next time the Texans will be taking the field in Week 9 will be just two days out from the NFL trade deadline, where there's bound to be several moving pieces around the league.
But when it comes to the Texans' situation, it's hard to really determine what their plan of attack at the deadline may be.
The Texans' Trade Deadline Dilemma
On one hand, Houston's lost five games in the first seven weeks. Both sides of the ball have real issues to address, they're winless at home through four tries, and there might not be a realistic pathway to improving this roster much from where things are at right now.
On another, the Texans did just make a trade to acquire Marvin Harrison Jr. in exchange for a second-round pick in this year's draft only two weeks ago, so it's hard to say that this team has folded its hand for this season moving forward.
So which direction will the Texans go as it pertains to their trade deadline plans? Will they go out to sell some pieces on their current roster, or will they try to go out and be buyers to make further improvements?
Well, Texans general manager Nick Caserio spoke about where the team stands on the day after Houston's Week 7 loss that might offer a bit more clarity on what to expect.
What Nick Caserio Said About Texans' Trade Deadline Plans
When Caserio was asked about whether or not the Texans were preparing to be buyers or sellers at this year's trade deadline, he left the door open for really any possibility.
He notes that the Texans have talked to most of the league over recent days to gauge what the market is looking like, and the team won't be eliminating any possibility.
"I mean, every opportunity, you know, we'll look at it," Caserio said. "If it makes sense, great. If not. We're always open. We've had conversations. We've talked to most of the league here. Teams have started to reach out here a little bit, trying to figure out, like, 'Alright, where are teams? What are you looking for? Where's the surplus? Where do you potentially have a need?"
"So, we'll always be open-minded. We're not going to eliminate anything. We'll listen, and ultimately, we'll do what we feel makes the most sense."
Texans Not Going to Make Any "Knee-Jerk Decisions"
Overall, the Texans and Caserio don't seem to be forcing a particular move to their roster. They'll simply be taking what the market gives them.
If a team comes to the table with an intriguing offer for a position of need on either side, then perhaps Houston and their front office will take it. If no move comes to fruition, then the focus for any changes can be directed to the coming offseason.
But the sense you get here is that the Texans feel a little more likely to stay put with their current roster rather than making any big roster shake-ups.
Caserio had noted earlier in the press conference that the team wasn't going to make any "knee-jerk decisions" after their loss to New York, which likely includes their approach to the trade deadline.
"We'll look at it," Caserio said of whether the Texans will make any personnel changes. "I mean, if they feel it's appropriate, great. And then what's the alternative? So, we'll look at everything. We're not going to make any knee-jerk decisions on the heels of what happened yesterday."
"So, we'll go through the week we'll take inventory. DeMeco will spend time with the coaching staff, kind of talk through some different things, whether it's schematically, whether it's personnel-wise, and then we'll kind of try to figure out what's the best formula moving forward."
So as always, with an executive like Caserio, an unexpected trade could be in play if the price is right. However, it certainly doesn't seem as if a big move is imminent for Houston––whether that be to sell off some existing talent or to add even more to their existing group on hand.
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