With the NFL trade deadline right around the corner, the Houston Texans haven't found themselves at the center of many rumors linking them to a big splash acquisition.

After all, the Texans did just spend a second round pick to bring in wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. only a few weeks ago. Imagining Houston to pull the trigger on another major deal at the trade deadline to give up significant assets could be tough to imagine.

However, after the events of the latest NFL blockbuster to shake up the league––and perhaps more importantly, the AFC South––the Texans might be forced to have a different approach to this year's deadline.

That's because Houston's top threat within their own division, the Jacksonville Jaguars, just took a big swing to go out and land Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III in exchange for a second and a fifth-round pick.

The Jaguars Become a Scarier Threat for Texans to Face

Now, the Jaguars undoubtedly make a big investment here to upgrade a position of need in Bates. Especially knowing that Bates is in the final year of his contract and will be a free agent in 2027, that makes this move even more significant for Jacksonville.

But from Jacksonville's perspective, they're a team that feels well within reach of making a run to the Super Bowl out of the AFC.

Many teams around the league in a similar position have already made their big moves to push the chips in on a championship-level group––such as the Chicago Bears with Jeffery Simmons or the Seattle Seahawks with Quenton Nelson––and this seems to be the Jaguars' own version of just that.

Bates is an All-Pro level safety who can add an immediate upgrade to the Jaguars' secondary that's already performed relatively well through the first half of the season. If the investment pays off, Bates could be the one piece needed to take this current defense over the hump for that Super Bowl appearance.

For the Texans, however, such a move from the Jaguars should sound some alarms within the building: their top threat in the division just added an All-Pro defender, and they're one of many teams that Houston will have to go through in the AFC for a hopeful deep postseason run themselves. They even have to play them once more in the regular season come Week 15.

So with the trade deadline less than 48 hours away, might the Texans' front office consider a similar big move for their roster to try and keep up with their immediate competition? The idea certainly makes sense––especially if a star talent emerges on the market at the right price.

Texans Must Find a Star Upgrade to Stay on Pace

So now comes the Texans' time to evaluate opportunities on the market, see where starting-level talent might be available, and find a roster upgrade to acquire and keep up in an arms race of sorts with the Jaguars.

Where on the roster might the Texans target, and who could be available? Houston was rumored to add another running back or safety at the deadline last week, so perhaps those two positions could be ones to keep an eye on––even if one of the top safeties on the market has now made his way to a division rival.

Maybe Houston sends in some aggressive calls for Derrick Henry or Saquon Barkley, or even sends out similar offers to Jacksonville for a high-end safety that's available. Perhaps the front office goes with a surprising route of bolstering up their defensive interior.

But if no deadline move comes to form for the Texans, it'll be hard to have a ton of optimism that this group can not only make their resilient climb up the AFC as one of seven playoff teams, but also have the talent necessary to win multiple games on the road in the postseason.

For the Texans to truly move into the second half of the season with a confident, championship-caliber roster, taking a big deadline swing for another star might just do that. They'll have until 3 p.m. CT on Tuesday afternoon to make it happen.