Texans news: Julio Jones joining Titans does Houston no favors
If the Houston Texans were already going to have their struggles in 2021, things got a lot tougher as reports have the Tennessee Titans trading for All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones.
The Texans (4-12 in 2020) lost both games against their AFC South rival Tennessee last season by scores of 42-36 (OT) and 41-38. The Houston Texans have lost their past three games against the Titans, dating back to Dec. 29, 2019. All-time the Titans lead the Houston Texans, 21-17 in the series.
Tennessee is coming off being the AFC South champion in 2020, clinching the title after defeating the Texans in the regular season finale last year. Since that game a lot has changed for the Texans, including a new general manager, new head coach, and big changes on the roster.
Speaking of roster changes, one of the biggest in all of the NFL is the Titans trading for Jones, which is being reported by Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. The trade is for at least a second round pick going to the Atlanta Falcons.
This trade gives the Titans them one best wide receivers in the NFL to play along side A.J. Brown, Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill, making the Titans’ offense is officially more scary than it already was.
Sources: The #Falcons are trading All-Pro WR Julio Jones to the #Titans in exchange for at least a 2nd round pick. A blockbuster for Tennessee, who now gets the coveted big-play threat. And Atlanta ends up with very nice value.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 6, 2021
Texans news: Who will Houston have at CB to defend Julio Jones and A.J. Brown?
The depth chart of the Houston Texans has Vernon Hargreaves, Bradley Roby, John Reid, Desmond King II, and Terrance Mitchell being most likely the main options at cornerback, so those players not have to find a way to not only stop Brown, but now Jones as well.
Good luck with that!
It will be a very tough task for any team, but especially a Houston Texans team that is working to learn the Tampa 2 defense under new defensive coordinator Lovie Smith, but also trying to find the correct players to put on the field each and every week.
Last season when Brown faced the Houston Texans twice, he had games of five receptions for 58 yards and two touchdowns in Week 6, and in Week 17 he collected 10 receptions for 151 yards and one touchdown.
Jones last played against the Houston Texans in 2019 as that Week 5 game saw him finish with three receptions for 42 yards.
It is tough to say the Houston Texans have players on the roster to stop the duo of Brown and Jones, because if Jones can stay healthy for the Titans in ’21 they will be a very dangerous team, even more dangerous than they were the past couple seasons.
This trade and decision made by the Titans is one that was made to win right now for Tennessee. Adding the veteran Jones to a lineup that was one win away from playing in the Super Bowl two seasons ago, and the AFC South champion last season, they are in a “win now” mode.
The Texans are opposite of that entering the ’21 season because they don’t have the roster to be division champions, and have a lot of decisions to make for the long-term success of their franchise.
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Facing A.J. Brown twice a season was tough enough for the Texans, but adding Julio Jones to that mix, that makes for two games for the Houston Texans which will be even harder to win, making the Titans’ trade one that does Houston no favors for the foreseeable future.