The Houston Texans season is officially over following their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, and the start of the offseason could mean a Kenyon Green trade. A first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Texas A&M product never lived up to his pre-draft potential.
Green started 14 games as a rookie, but his ability to see the field did not translate to success. The rookie’s 37.7 PFF grade was the worst in the league among 77 eligible players, and while PFF grades aren’t gospel, nobody disagreed with their assessment in this case. After missing all of 2023 with a shoulder injury, the guard tried to redeem himself in 2024. Unfortunately, he had another rough season, finishing the year with a 38.6 PFF grade, the 74th-best mark of 75 eligible players.
Now entering the final season of his rookie deal, Houston could cut their losses and trade Kenyon Green for whatever they can get. While he won’t fetch much, trading him will create $2.8 million in cap space, and a team like the New Orleans Saints or Los Angeles Chargers could roll the dice on him.
Saints, Chargers Could Trade For Texans Kenyon Green
The New Orleans Saints have one of the league’s worst offensive lines, and they lack the financial resources to fix it without getting creative. While General Manager Mickey Loomis will restructure his way out of salary cap hell, he won’t have the financial freedom to go after top-dollar players like Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith. With this in mind, the team must make some low-risk, medium-reward moves like a Kenyon Green trade.
Cesar Ruiz had his best season last year, but the other starting guard position is up for the taking. Kenyon Green is anything but a safe bet, but the trade target could compete for a starting spot. Nobody should expect him to play like a top-15 pick, but perhaps a change of scenery could make him a replacement-level starter. Even that would be an improvement, as quarterback Derek Carr needs better blocking to survive a 17-game season.
Rebuilding the Trenches
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh wants to win games by dominating the trenches. He set out to accomplish this goal last year by passing on wide receiver Malik Nabers to select offensive tackle Joe Alt with the fifth-overall pick in the NFL Draft. While Alt and left tackle Rashawn Slater are one of the league’s best tackle duos, Harbaugh must address the interior offensive line.
Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, and Trey Pipkins are nothing to write home about, and the interior line could be worse in 2025 with Pipkins a likely salary cap casualty. Bozeman will likely return to the team, but this still leaves Los Angeles with a glaring need at guard. Perhaps the team splurges on a top-dollar option, but that doesn’t seem likely. The Chargers desperately need another wide receiver and could use some help in the secondary, so they’ll likely try to find a cost-effective answer at guard.
Kenyon Green should not be their only plan, but a trade makes all the sense in the world. Harbaugh is one of the league’s best when it comes to getting the most out of his players, so if Green will ever pan out, it will probably be under a meticulous coach like Harbaugh. If he can’t save his career with the Chargers, it could be the end of the road for the Texas A&M product.
Main Photo: Troy Taormina – USA Today Sports
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