Texans made a massive NFL Draft gamble to get Will Anderson Jr., and they were right
Will Anderson Jr. got a record contract extension from the Texans.
NFL Draft trade value charts exist for a reason. They’re a good, shorthand guide to inform whether teams are getting equal value in a trade or overpaying for the picks they’re getting. The charts don’t factor in what happens when a player becomes a superstar after they’re drafted.
By any draft chart calculation, the Houston Texans overpaid for the right to move up and take defensive end Will Anderson Jr. in 2023. They sent the 12th and 33rd picks in 2023, and first- and third-round picks in 2024 to the Arizona Cardinals for the third and 105th picks of the 2023 draft.
The 2024 picks would up being No. 27 and No. 90 overall.
At the time, the trade drew mixed reviews for the Texans due to the cost. Three years later, as Anderson signed the largest contract in NFL history for a non-quarterback after three years of stellar play, it’s hard to say the Texans overpaid. The Texans had conviction on a player and paid a large price to go get him.