Top 3 Baker Mayfield trade destinations after the 2022 NFL Draft

Baker Mayfield post-Draft spot no. 1: Houston Texans

Could the Houston Texans come out of left field to trade for Baker Mayfield?

I think we could see it.

General manager Nick Caserio has been more aggressive in the 2022 offseason than I think many expected. One move, in particular, that makes me think he might be willing to make a deal involving Mayfield was the recent re-signing of Brandin Cooks.

Of course, the Texans are like any NFL team — they want to keep good players around. But for a rebuilding team, handing a bunch of money to Cooks, who was not a free agent, was a unique type of move.

The Texans obviously want him around for someone, in particular.

I think it’s reasonable to assume that Houston genuinely likes 2021 third-round pick Davis Mills, but it’s also reasonable to think that Houston could be competitive in the AFC South with a quarterback like Baker Mayfield under center.

Pep Hamilton has done such a tremendous job developing young quarterbacks in recent years, so perhaps the Texans would look at their situation as a good one for Mayfield as well.

Not only do they have Cooks, but they also have 2021 third-round pick Nico Collins ready to step into a bigger role, and they just aggressively moved up for Alabama wide receiver John Metchie III.

Again, Houston has been more aggressive this offseason than I think people expected, and as a result, I wouldn’t be shocked to see them make a deal for Mayfield especially given Caserio’s roots in New England.

The Patriots have always been a team that took calculated risks on players especially when the price is right. If Houston could get Mayfield for a reasonable draft pick and with the Texans taking on some of his contract, I could see a return to his home state of Texas being the most likely scenario for Baker Mayfield in 2022.