Houston paid second- and third-round picks for Phillip…

Phillip Buchanon still carried first-round pedigree when Houston acquired him, but his Oakland tenure had become inconsistent. The Texans were a young franchise looking for playmakers in the secondary and paid two meaningful selections, Nos. 47 and 78, for the chance to reset his career. The gamble failed quickly. Buchanon appeared in 10 games for Houston in 2005, started six and did not record an interception. He returned for only four games in 2006 before the Texans released him. Oakland's return produced value almost immediately. The third-round selection at No. 78 became Kirk Morrison, who started 79 games over five Raiders seasons and surpassed 100 combined tackles in each of his first five years by modern stat accounting. He was not an elite linebacker, but he was durable, productive and inexpensive throughout his rookie contract. That alone gave Oakland more sustained value than Houston received from Buchanon. The second-round pick also mattered even though the Raiders did not simply use it on a player. Oakland incorporated No. 47 into the same-day Doug Jolley transaction with the Jets, helping the club acquire the 26th and 230th selections. The sequence illustrates why trade trees matter: the Buchanon deal created both a long-term defensive starter and additional flexibility for other moves. Houston's grade must reflect the premium paid for a player who barely lasted a season. Buchanon later revived his career with other teams, but that rebound does not belong to the Texans' side of this transaction. Oakland successfully sold an asset before his value fell further and converted the compensation into several years of starting linebacker play plus usable draft capital. It is one of the clearer wins in this portion of the 2005 trade board.