As we approach the beginning of NFL free agency late Monday morning, the Houston Texans are still sitting on a few acute needs that they will likely address over the next week or so, in addition to fortifying those areas via the draft in late April. On the heels of season ending injuries to Stefon Diggs (now, a free agent) and Tank Dell (possibly out for 2025, as well), wide receiver remains a major need for this team.
It just so happens that, around the league, several wide receivers with very gaudy resumes, some injury concerns, and definite age concerns, have all become available. Diggs is one of them, but in recent days, he's been joined by Buccaneers free agent WR Chris Gowdin, former Jets WR Davante Adams (released by the Jets), and Seahawks WR D.K. Metcalf (requested a trade).
Texans GM Nick Caserio should be looking into all of these, at the very least, as a possibility to become a Houston Texan. As with most things in life, the Vegas sports books are weighing in on the likelihood for where each player may end up. Here are the odds on each of the four players highlighted above, along with thoughts on how things play out:
STEFON DIGGS, Texans free agent WR
Let's start with the odds that Diggs could return to the Texans on a new deal after free agency begins next week. Here are the posted odds on the chances of that happening:
Will Stefon Diggs re-sign with the Texans? Yes +110
No -150
This matches up with the scuttlebutt on the street. Diggs' return is widely viewed as, at best, a coin flip's chance he comes back here. If he does return, it's likely with some level of "hometown discount," because there are definitely teams out there who (a) could use Diggs and (b) have more money under the cap than the Texans do. Here's the odds board:
Stefon Diggs Next Team
New England Patriots 3/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 4/1
Dallas Cowboys 5/1
Los Angeles Chargers 7/1
Baltimore Ravens 8/1
Las Vegas Raiders 9/1
Green Bay Packers 12/1
Kansas City Chiefs 12/1
New Orleans Saints 14/1
Cleveland Browns 16/1
Jacksonville Jaguars 20/1
Those top three teams each make a lot of sense. The Patriots have money to burn and an acute need for a number one wide receiver. The Steelers seem like a really good head coach-player fit, with Mike Tomlin. The Cowboys would reunite Diggs with his brother, Travon.
CHRIS GODWIN, Buccaneers free agent WR
We will go through the same exercise with Godwin, to start out, as we did with Diggs, looking at the odds he returns to Tampa. Godwin, at -220 to return, is considered a much safer bet to stay with his current team than venture out somewhere else:
Will Chris Godwin re-sign with the Bucs?
Yes -220
No +160
Like Diggs, Godwin ended the season on injured reserve, so his market gets intriguing. Here is the odds board for Godwin's next stop, if he doesn't stay in Tampa:
Chris Godwin Next Team
Carolina Panthers 5/2
Pittsburgh Steelers 3/1
Las Vegas Raiders 4/1
New England Patriots 6/1
Los Angeles Chargers 8/1
Green Bay Packers 12/1
Dallas Cowboys 14/1
HOUSTON TEXANS 16/1
The Texans are 8th on the board for Godwin. That feels aggressive. If the Texans are going to throw money at a receiver coming off an injury, they'll just bring Diggs back, I would imagine.
**DAVANTE ADAMS, free agent WR (released by the Jets)**In this article, Adams is the most intriguing one to me, largely because he's played the best football of any of the receivers here over the last few years, and done so with largely subpar quarterback play. Here are the odds on where Adams may end up:
Davante Adams Next Team
Denver Broncos 4/1
San Francisco 49ers 5/1
New York Giants 6/1
Green Bay Packers 6/1
Los Angeles Chargers 7/1
Las Vegas Raiders 9/1
Seattle Seahawks 10/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 12/1
New England Patriots 14/1
Dallas Cowboys 16/1
Kansas City Chiefs 18/1
Buffalo Bills 20/1
Washington Commanders 20/1
Los Angeles Rams 20/1
HOUSTON TEXANS 22/1Tennessee Titans 25/1
There are many folks out there who believe that Adams will just wait to see where Aaron Rodgers signs, and then he will head there in free agency. Thus, you see the New York Giants, the favorite to land Rodgers, fairly high on Adams' list. The Texans way down the list at 15th to land Adams is not a major surprise. He is going to fairly expensive, and the Texans are operating with limited cap money.
D.K. METCALF, Seahawks WR (requested a trade)
Metcalf recently requested a trade, and Seattle seems like they are going to acquiesce to Metcalf's trade demands. here are the odds on where Metcalf could be headed:
DK Metcalf Next Team
Green Bay Packers 3/1
New England Patriots 5/1
Las Vegas Raiders 7/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 7/1
Los Angeles Chargers 8/1
Dallas Cowboys 10/1
HOUSTON TEXANS 12/1Buffalo Bills 14/1
Atlanta Falcons 16/1
Denver Broncos 16/1
Tennessee Titans 18/1
This is the one I'm least enthused by for the Texans, largely because (a) Seattle reportedly wants a first and third round draft pick for Metcalf, and (b) once the trade is consummated, Metcalf is going to want a top of market contract extension, as he is in the final year of his deal he inked two years ago. Great player, but no thanks!
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