Cleveland Browns & Houston Texans Agree To Blockbuster Trade Hours Before 2025 NFL Draft

The Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans agreed to a compelling trade, hours before the 2025 NFL Draft kicks off in Green Bay.

Just before 5:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, the Browns announced that they have acquired the No. 166 pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick from the Texans in exchange for two 2025 sixth-rounders (No. 179 and No. 216) and a seventh-rounder (No. 255).

The Cleveland Browns hold the No. 2 selection in this year’s draft, and it’s widely assumed that they’ll take Colorado Buffaloes two-way phenom Travis Hunter. The Tennessee Titans appear set to take Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward with the top selection.

Having won the AFC South en route to a Divisional Round appearance for the second straight year, the Houston Texans won’t pick until No. 25. With two third-round picks this year (No. 79 overall from the Washington Commanders in the Laremy Tunsil trade and No. 89), the Texans are well-equipped to trade up if they so desire.

The Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns aren’t strangers to blockbuster trades. Ahead of the 2017 NFL Draft, the Texans dumped Brock Osweiler’s contract to Cleveland and gave them a second-round pick as part of the return. The Browns then released Osweiler.

And of course, there was the blockbuster Deshaun Watson trade of 2022 that may go down as the most lopsided in NFL history. While the Browns have gotten nothing out of Watson, Houston used the extra draft picks to re-emerge as a contender in the AFC.

Cleveland Browns Have Five Picks Inside Top 105

As previously mentioned, the Browns hold the No. 2 pick in the draft. They also own the No. 33, No. 67, No. 94 and No. 104 picks. The 94th selection is courtesy of the Buffalo Bills in the blockbuster Amari Cooper deal ahead of last season’s trade deadline.