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The Houston Texans were more than just speculatively linked to New York Jets running back Breece Hall before the trade deadline; they were interested in the former second-round draft pick and acted on that. Unfortunately for the Texans, the cost of doing business was too great to bear. The lack of a deal at the deadline suggested as much. Questions remain about just where Texans general manager Nick Caserio’s breaking point was. Texans Moved on Jets RB Breece Hall Before Trade Deadline The Texans had been one of several teams linked to Hall in the lead-up to the deadline amid the ongoing injury uncertainty around running back Joe Mixon. He has not played this season and remains on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) list. The Texans have gotten by with four-time Pro Bowl veteran Nick Chubb and rookie fourth-round pick Woody Marks. However, they rank 21st in rushing and, like in other spots, could use an upgrade. According to The Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan M. Alexander, Caserio made “several calls.” “One of the calls they made was to the New York Jets to inquire about running back Breece Hall, three sources with knowledge of those calls told the Houston Chronicle,” Alexander wrote on November 8. “It’s unclear how far conversations between Caserio and Jets general manager Darren Mougey reached, or whether the parameters of a deal were discussed. “But the Jets … were unwilling to compromise for anything less than a third-round pick, another person with knowledge of the talks confirmed.” Hall was the No. 36 overall pick of the 2022 draft. He has rushed for 581 yards and 2 touchdowns on 117 carries this season. He has another 178 yards on 21 receptions. Hall has 4,384 yards and 24 total touchdowns on 802 combined touches in his career. Hall’s yardage is the 11th-most among running backs and 17th among all skill players in that span, per Stathead. He had at least 876 rushing yards and 483 receiving yards in 2023 and 2024. Texans GM Delivered Reality Check About Trade Deadline Caserio may have telegraphed that the Texans were never going to meet the Jets’ asking price, which was rumored before the deadline passed. For Caserio, it was all about “cost-benefit.” “There’s always a cost. Do a cost-benefit analysis. Not to get into a big economics discussion, but that’s a part of it. So, if you’re going to give something up, what are you getting in return? And if you’re comfortable with that decision, what’s it cost from a contractual standpoint? Some of those types of things. So, try to maintain as much flexibility as possible,” Caserio told reporters in October. “We’re in a decent spot. If there’s a situation out there that we feel makes some sense, and it works out, great. If it doesn’t, then okay. There’s nothing we can do about it, and we’re prepared to handle it with the players that we have here.” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans confirmed that Caserio and the front office explored options, but found nothing to their liking. However, Alexander argues that a deal was never meant to be. Nick Caserio’s History With 3rd Round Made Trade Unlikely Alexander noted that Caserio has been effective at finding talent in the draft. The third round has been a sweet spot. They have landed Calen Bullock (No. 78 in 2024), Jaylin Noel (No. 79 overall in 2025), Nico Collins (No. 89 in 2021), and Tank Dell (No. 69 in 2023) in the round. “Caserio, who has made only two trade deadline deals since he arrived in Houston in 2021, was never going to fork over a third-round pick for a half-season rental. The third round is where he’s had some of his biggest successes,” Alexander wrote. “He has largely stayed away from making trades that involve high draft picks.” Acquiring Stefon Diggs during the 2024 offseason and trading up to acquire Will Anderson in the 2023 draft are two exceptions to Caserio’s lack of trades involving premium picks. However, Alexander revealed that Caserio also made calls about guards and tight ends.
