Update (6:56 PM 10/31):
Jeremy Lane failed his physical, so the trade changed slightly. He will return to the Seattle Seahawks, and they will get back their fifth rounder this year. In exchange, the Houston Texans will get the Seahawks' 2018 third round pick.
Is this a better trade than the original? It depends on what perspective you take. Obviously, for the present, it isn't. The team lost their best offensive linemen for no immediate assets. There is still a hole in the secondary and the offensive line could've used Duane Brown's help.
However, it's important to focus on the future, and the new trade is definitely better. Even with the offensive renaissance, the Texans weren't about to compete for the Super Bowl; they just have too many holes on defense. Now, they've got an extra pick that may lead to an immediate starter, as well as extra cap space to spend in this offseason's free agency. Both of these will help fill the team's needs, leading to a more competitive team in the coming years.
Original Story:
The Seahawks must have liked what they saw in Brown when they played the Texans this past Sunday. There were rumors about a possible trade happening, but the team didn't pull the trigger until after the game.
In return, the Texans get cornerback Lane, a 2018 fifth round pick and a 2019 second round pick. The Seahawks will also inherit the rest of Brown's contract: $5 million for this season and $9.75 million in 2018. This deal comes right before the Trade Deadline at 4 PM ET today. Brown joins Jay Ajayi, Marcell Dareus, Adrian Peterson, and Jimmy Garopollo as big names that have been traded this season.
How this Helps the Texans
Texans' fans around the city are happy to get rid of Brown because of him not playing through the first seven weeks. But even in a football-related sense, he wasn't going to bring much to the team despite being by far the best offensive linemen. Deshaun Watson's mobility helps him get out of pickly situations and even without Brown he's been doing solid. Actually, Seahawks defensive end Frank Clark, who was lined up on the opposite side of Brown, got two sacks Sunday, while the Texans surrendered five. For the season, they've allowed an average of 3.71 sacks per game, and that's including the 10 sacks allowed against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1.
They're also getting a solid amount for Brown. Lane hasn't had much playing time behind the Legion of Boom, but has been solid when he does get on the field. However, he has been hurt this season so he has barely played. When he did against the Texans, he was benched after a pass interference very early in the game.
Still, even Lane can improve the horrible Texans secondary. After years of amazing defense and subpar offense, the tables have flipped. While Watson is making the offense click beautifully, the defense is allowing insane passing numbers. Big pass plays are what have been killing the team this year. Adding Lane will help alleviate that.
The picks can also be beneficial. After giving up their first-round pick this year in the Watson trade, getting any extra picks, even a fifth, helps. The real asset will be the second round pick next year, which will help the Texans compete in the near future.
How this Helps the Seahawks
The Seahawks have had a notoriously bad offensive line ever since trading for Jimmy Graham. Russell Wilson is constantly rushed and has to peel out to avoid getting sacked. It helps that he is very mobile, and because of this, they have allowed only 16 sacks for the year, 12th best in the league.
Still, adding Brown will help give Wilson time in the pocket. Even if it isn't their biggest need, it will still help. Their bigger issue is their run game. While their running backs aren't great, having better run blocking will hopefully improve that aspect of their offense. Tackles aren't as important for the run game as guards, but can still help, especially when the team puts a speedy back to go to the outside. Trading for Brown is the first step in improving the offensive line.
Overall, this was a good trade for both teams. They both addressed needs without giving up too much. This shows both teams are making moves to compete this year, with the Texans also adding future assets.