5 Houston Texans players who could lose their jobs to rookies

Jerry Hughes

After selecting C.J. Stroud with the second overall pick, the Houston Texans would work out a trade with the Arizona Cardinals for the third overall pick that would cost them the 12th overall pick and a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft along with a first-round pick and third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. That trade would allow them to select arguably the best defensive player in this year's draft class in former Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr.

Will Anderson Jr. was the best player on the Crimson Tides' defense the past two years and during that stretch had 27.5 sacks and 48 tackles for a loss. The Texans now have an elite talent that DeMeco Ryans can build his defense around and hopefully have the same success he did as the defensive coordinator with the 49ers.

However, Will Anderson Jr. will push a veteran down the depth chart and that player is most likely Jerry Hughes. He joined the Texans last offseason as a free agent and was very productive, even at 34 years old, with nine sacks. This was his highest total since 2014 with the Buffalo Bills.

Even with the high sack total, at this stage of his career, Jerry Hughes is better suited to be a situational pass rusher and not have to handle the workload of a starter. Will Anderson Jr. has the talent to be the starter right from the start and should replace Hughes in the starting lineup.