It is not often that a star quarterback is available via free agency or trade. This offseason could be an exception to the rule after the latest news surrounding one star QB. 

 It was reported on Monday that Jackson requested a trade back on March 2nd. Shortly after the trade request, Jackson was slapped with a non-exclusive franchise tag. Since that point, not much has happened. 

What team has plenty of draft capital and a need for a franchise QB? Enter the Houston Texans. 

The Texans have long been a shoo-in to draft a QB in the 2023 NFL Draft. That could still be the case, but the team probably wasn't expecting Jackson to be available either. 

What if new head coach DeMeco Ryans prefers to have a veteran QB? Today, I want to talk about three reasons why I believe the Texans should pursue Jackson. 

Immediate contention/relevance

Landing Jackson would lead to increased merchandise and ticket sales immediately. Interest in the team would skyrocket for the 2023 season. 

Additionally, rookie QBs are risky. Even if the rookie hits, it usually doesn't happen until the second or third season. 

We already know that Jackson is capable of leading a team to the playoffs. Perhaps Nick Caserio feels the pressure to win sooner than later and doesn't want to wait for a rookie to develop. 

Finally, look at the current state of the AFC South. The Titans and Colts are rebuilding, and, while the Jaguars look tough, they are still young and are not a juggernaut. This division is winnable. 

Adding Lamar could easily make the Texans the favorites in the AFC South in 2022. 

Playing keep away

Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports recently wrote a piece about the most logical fits for Lamar Jackson. 

Guess which teams were both in the top three? 

The Titans and Colts. 

I believe it is entirely possible that the Texans would feel more comfortable getting Jackson and letting the other AFC South teams gamble on rookies. 

The alternative is the Colts or Titans land Jackson, who we know is good, and the Texans get a rookie who is never up to Jackson's level. 

This would be the worst-case scenario. One has to believe this thought has crossed Caserio's mind. 

Frees up draft strategy

The Texans currently own the following picks in the 2023 NFL Draft:

• Round 1, Pick 2
• Round 1, Pick 12 (from CLE)
• Round 2, Pick 33
• Round 3, Pick 65
• Round 3, Pick 73 (from CLE)
• Round 4, Pick 104
• Round 5, Pick 161 (from DAL)
• Round 6, Pick 188 (from NYG)
• Round 6, Pick 201 (from MIN)
• Round 6, Pick 203 (from NO)
• Round 7, Pick 230 (from TB)
• Round 7, Pick 259

Let's assume that both first-rounders are sent to Baltimore for Jackson. That would still leave the team with 10 picks to help strengthen the rest of the roster. 

For most teams, a trade for Jackson would empty the cupboard of draft picks for a year or two. For the Texans? Not so much. 

Securing Jackson just makes one less position that needs to be filled in the draft. 

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Final Thoughts: I believe it's unlikely that Jackson ends up in Houston, but I do think it makes sense for the aforementioned reasons. 

Ultimately, I believe the team will use the second pick of the draft to select either CJ Stroud or Bryce Young. DeMeco Ryans is a first-year head coach, so the expectation is not to contend anyway. 

While it would be fun to have Jackson, it will also be interesting to see a rookie. The Texans have plenty of options.