The Houston Texans control the AFC South with their 6-2 record, but the Super Bowl contenders could still trade veteran Kenyon Green in the coming days. A first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Texas A&M product was supposed to be a primary building block for a roster looking to rebuild following the departures of Bill O’Brien and quarterback Deshaun Watson. While he started in 14 of his 15 games as a rookie, he finished his inaugural campaign with a 37.7 PFF grade, the lowest mark of all eligible guards.
After missing the 2023 season with a knee injury, Houston hoped Green could recapture his college form in 2024. The former first-round pick got off to a promising start, earning the Week 1 starting job for a potential Super Bowl contender. However, his on-field struggles continued and the team benched him for Jarrett Patterson. Once again ranked last in PFF grade, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes the Texans could trade Kenyon Green to whoever is willing to roll the dice. While Houston probably won’t get more than a conditional late-round pick, the Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints are the most likely destinations.
Under-radar trade candidates:
-Texans G Kenyon Green
-Vikings LB Brian Asamoah
-Broncos pass rusher Baron BrowningThat and much more in our Week 9 buzz filehttps://t.co/uRhgwgmmF1
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) October 30, 2024
Ravens, Saints Could Trade For Texans Kenyon Green
The Baltimore Ravens are one of the best teams in the league, but they’re far from perfect. Led by MVP frontrunner Lamar Jackson and the ageless Derrick Henry, this team has the offensive firepower to match up with just about any team. While these elite playmakers can elevate the rest of the roster, Baltimore could be even more unstoppable if they improve the guard position. Kenyon Green is anything but a sure bet, but the Ravens might as well take a shot on a low-risk, medium-reward trade.
With John Simpson and Pro Bowler Kevin Zeitler on the New York Jets and Detroit Lions, respectively, the Ravens had no choice but to trust their depth to step into larger roles. While Patrick Mekari, Daniel Faalele, and Andrew Vorhees have done their best, none of them are starting-caliber players. The NFL version of Kenyon Green is also not a starting-caliber player, but he has the raw talent to earn a regular spot on the field.
The Ravens have one of the league’s best coaching staffs, so if anyone can get the most out of Green, it will be Baltimore. Seeing as the defense isn’t holding up their end of the bargain, Baltimore’s offense must carry this team to a Super Bowl, and they’ll need all the help they can get. Maybe Kenyon Green will continue to disappoint, but it can’t hurt to try and catch lightning in a bottle.
The Desperate Saints
Despite their six-game losing streak, head coach Dennis Allen insists the Saints will not sell. That may be the case, but the current iteration of the team is far too injured to seriously compete. Derek Carr should return to the lineup on Sunday, but a sizable portion of the offense is still battling injuries. The Saints entered the season with a questionable offensive line, and a Kenyon Green trade might be the only way to try and fix it.
If the Saints will probably start selling if they lose to the lowly Carolina Panthers on Sunday. However, if they pull off the win, they’ll only have two days to decide what to do before the trade deadline passes. General manager Mickey Loomis probably won’t allow a big-name trade, but he could let Dennis Allen go after Kenyon Green. A 3-6 team shouldn’t trade significant draft capital for short-term rentals, but nobody should complain about the Saints giving up a conditional sixth- or seventh-round selection for a former first-round pick.
Main Photo: Troy Taormina – USA Today Sports
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