After declining a pay cut, Arik Armstead, the defensive lineman who was drafted in the first round by the 49ers in the 2015 NFL Draft, emerged as one of the most sought-after free agents upon his release by San Francisco last month.
The 30-year-old subsequently secured a lucrative three-year deal potentially amounting to $51 million with the Jaguars during the free agency period. However, he disclosed that another AFC team had attempted to acquire him before he became available on the open market.
“The Texans tried to trade for me, didn’t even want me to become a free agent,” Armstead said on his “Third and Long” podcast. “I thought I was going there. Trade fell through. Boom, I end up hitting free agency.”
Armstead didn’t delve into the specifics of what Houston was willing to offer the 49ers in a potential trade, which isn’t entirely unexpected given the Texans’ recent offseason moves.
During the past month, Houston has been actively bolstering its roster by signing key players such as defensive end Danielle Hunter and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair in free agency, as well as acquiring running back Joe Mixon from the Bengals and wide receiver Stefon Diggs from the Bills via trade.
Had the Texans succeeded in acquiring Armstead, it would have further amplified their already busy offseason activity.
However, Jacksonville ultimately secured Armstead, which is advantageous considering the team’s need to fortify its defensive line after losing defensive end Foley Fatukasi to the Texans in free agency. Armstead’s arrival potentially strengthens the Jaguars’ defensive front and may be viewed as an upgrade.
Despite grappling with knee and ankle injuries over the last couple of seasons, Armstead has remained impactful on the field. In Super Bowl LVIII, he notably contributed one sack and six total tackles during the 25-22 overtime defeat against the Chiefs.
The Jaguars’ acquisition of Armstead positions them well, as they will now confront their AFC South rival Texans, who attempted to secure Armstead, at least twice per season for the foreseeable future.
