Houston Texans Nico Collins reworked deal could complicate the rest of the wideouts on the roster this upcoming 2026 campaign. Despite receiving trade interest during this year’s draft, Texans GM Nick Caserio made it clear that they’re not trading him, and the new deal proves that he isn’t going anywhere. While Collins received a huge payday, it could complicate the future of wideout Xavier Hutchinson, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Right now, the Texans have too many receivers between Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, Justin Watson and a returning Tank Dell.
The team can’t realistically keep all of them, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the young wideout is made available. Originally selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the former Iowa State product mainly played special teams during his first year in the league. However, due to Dell’s gruesome injury, the Texans have been rotating several receivers, including the young weapon. The receiver finished his recent campaign, hauling in 35 receptions for 428 yards and three touchdowns.
Nico Collins Reworked Deal May Signal Xavier Hutchinson $4M Trade
With CJ Stroud entering a pivotal time of his career, he could use all of the offensive weapons he can get. However, due to the salary cap, they’re probably not going to manage a new deal for Hutchinson. They’d probably prefer to keep the rest of their depth as their future, but it doesn’t mean that the former sixth-rounder won’t find work. He’s arguably one of the most underrated receivers, and if he joins another contender that needs wideout depth, he could explode if given the opportunity.
The receiver should be able to find the right fit for him, and these three teams might be willing to entertain a trade.
Potential Fits
Atlanta Falcons
Drake London is arguably a top 5 receiver, but he doesn’t have much help behind him. The Falcons released Darnell Mooney, who was somewhat viable, and barely made a significant improvement. They signed Jahan Dotson to a one-year deal while bringing back Olamide Zaccheaus. Dotson is coming off his worst stint in Philadelphia, and Zaccheaus is solid, but isn’t too consistent. If the team wants true competition at the quarterback position, they must be ready to offer the best offensive weapons.
QB’s Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. may struggle at the same time, so it shouldn’t be surprising given the outlook of their receiver depth. Hutchinson is not a star, but he could strengthen this unit with speed.
Indianapolis Colts
After losing Michael Pittman Jr. to a trade, don’t be surprised if the Colts look in the free agent market to address the hole in their receiver unit. The team gave Alec Pierce a monster deal, so realistically, they can’t afford a pricy weapon. Josh Downs could use some help in the slot before the start of the 2026 season. While they could add a low-stakes veteran in the market, it might be best to roll the dice on a young weapon that’s on a rookie deal like Hutchinson.
Minnesota Vikings
Despite losing Adam Thielen to retirement and Jalen Nailor to free agency, the Minnesota Vikings are reshaping the receiver unit. The team added Jauan Jennings to help boost the pass game for JJ McCarthy/Kyler Murray, but there’s still room to grow. Tai Felton will have somewhat of a bigger role in the slot, so it might be best to get Hutchinson in the mix to add some additional speed, which is something they lost in Nailor.
The Vikings could have one of the most complete receiving units in a while, possibly since the Randy Moss era.
