As the free agency beckons, the Houston Texans are turning a busy Sunday on the commercial front.
The New England Patriots are exchanging Marcus Cannon’s direct attack with the Texans, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. The exchange also includes “exchange picks,” added Rapoport.
The deal involves some “old friends”, as Rapoport noted with Texas first-year general manager Nick Caserio, working with his former team, the Patriots, and coach Bill Belichick.
Houston negotiated former Pro Bowl linebacker Benardrick McKinney for the Miami Dolphins for Shaq Lawson on Sunday, too.
Rapoport noted that Cannon’s exchange was settled before Sunday, but the two deals are unlikely to be the end of the moves put in play by Caserio, as he “works to fix a list that needs a lot of help,” Rapoport reported.
Cannon, 32, won three Super Bowls with the Pats, but hasn’t played since 2019, as he opted out of the 2020 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Veteran O-lineman has a $ 9.62 million limit and the Patriots never planned on returning, “especially with that maximum number,” reported Mike Giardi of the NFL Network.
A choice of Pats in the fifth round of 2011, Cannon has played the entire length of his professional career in New England so far, but will now return to his home state, Texas.
Cannon will try to help a struggling Texan offensive line, as his exit opens up space in front of the Patriots for Trent Brown, who is returning to New England from the Raiders.