The Houston Texans' path back to the AFC playoffs just got more difficult after the Baltimore Ravens pulled off a blockbuster trade last night.
In a stunning development, the Ravens sent two first-round picks over to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for two-time All-Pro and five-time Pro-Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby. After one of the worst defensive seasons in franchise history in 2025 (finished ranked 24th in yards allowed, 18th in points allowed) Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta sent a resounding message to the rest of the AFC: The Baltimore Ravens' defense will be a force to be reckoned with once again.
Connor Burke of Ebony Bird articulated the impact of the move by writing,
"After such an abysmal year on defense, they needed a game-changer, and Crosby is just that.
In 2025, the Ravens had just 30 sacks. It was one of the leading factors in their demise last season. With Crosby in the building now, they shouldn’t have to worry about that lack of pressure. They got themselves a consistent threat. He’s been doing it for the past seven years."
This puts even more pressure on general manager Nick Caserio to build a better offensive line for 2026. With Houston and Baltimore in line to face off once again next season, it's imperative that quarterback C.J. Stroud and the offense gets the wall they need to fend off game wreckers like Crosby. Or else, it could spell disaster for their postseason hopes in the AFC.
Pressure on Texans' GM Nick Caserio for better OL in 2026 increased with Crosby trade
Last season, the performance of Houston's offensive line was a topic of discussion throughout both the regular season and AFC playoffs. Across 17 regular season games, the Texans finished 30th in pass block win rate (56%) and 32nd in run block win rate (68%). They didn't have a single offensive lineman who finished in the top quadrant of either statistical category.
They started the season with a line featuring:
Offensive lineman | Position |
|---|---|
Aireontae Ersery | Left Tackle |
Laken Tomlinson | Left Guard |
Jake Andrews | Center |
Ed Ingram | Right Guard |
Tytus Howard | Right Tackle |
Before season's end, Tomlinson had been cut, Howard was moved to left guard and Pro-Bowl offensive Tackle Trent Brown slotted in at right tackle to complete the modification. While the line did admirably under the circumstances, there was still too much that was asked of a "patchwork" unit that had to face All-Pro's like T.J. Watt, Jeffery Simmons, Chris Jones and the aforementioned Crosby in the AFC. That's why improving the unit has been such a point of emphasis by both Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans in the lead up to free agency.
The Texans have recent history with both the Ravens and Crosby
Speaking of Crosby, when he and the Texans squared off in week 16 last season, the former Raider contributed three tackles (including two tackles for loss) and one quarterback hit. Though the Raiders lost 23-21, his play helped keep the Texans under 300 total yards on the day (187 passing, 83 rushing, 270 total).
His new team in Baltimore wasn't as fortunate, as the Texans manhandled them in week five to the tune of 417 total yards (250 passing, 167 rushing), a 7/12 third down conversion rate (58%) and a 44-10 throttling. With Crosby now wearing the Ravens crest, it's a certainty that they'll have payback in mind for Houston once they finally cross paths.
Houston is still churning the offensive line ahead of free agency's opening window
At the time of writing, Howard has been traded to the Cleveland Browns, Ingram is a free agent and Brown has been re-signed to a one-year contract. That leaves only Ersery, Andrews and Brown as the only viable starting options available on Houston's books with the NFL's legal tampering period being only two days away. That's nowhere near ideal if you're the Texans.
Options like center Cade Mays, All-Pro guard Wyatt Teller and guard Mekhi Becton are all still available on the open market, and Caserio has been restructuring in-house contracts to create the cap space necessary to poach them. There's also the NFL Draft in April, where the team can grab a player like guard Emmanuel Pregnon and/or tackle Max Iheanachor.
The AFC just got stronger defensively. Here's hoping the Texans can respond with the offensive upgrades necessary to adapt and overcome.