Tampa Bay traded picks 68 and 126 to Houston for picks 58 and…
Tampa Bay traded picks 68 and 126 to Houston for picks 58 and 233, then used No. 58 on Lavonte David. David became one of the defining defenders in Buccaneers history, earning All-Pro recognition and helping anchor the Super Bowl LV championship defense. Houston received DeVier Posey and Jared Crick, with Crick developing into a useful starter but neither approaching David's impact. The Buccaneers won the exchange by a wide margin.
Houston Texans Received
- pick 2012 3rd round pick (68th overall, DeVier Posey)
- pick 2012 4th round pick (126th overall, Jared Crick )
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Received
- pick 2012 2nd round pick (58th overall, Lavonte David)
- pick 2012 7th round pick (233rd overall, Drake Dunsmore)
Trade Analysis
Houston's decision made sense in the moment. The Texans believed a cluster of prospects would remain available after moving down from No. 58, and the trade added a fourth-round pick while preserving access to receiver DeVier Posey at No. 68. Houston then used the added fourth-rounder on defensive lineman Jared Crick. Posey never became the receiving answer the club hoped for, but Crick developed into a useful rotational player and later a regular starter, so the Texans did not come away empty-handed.
Tampa Bay, however, turned the move into one of the best second-round outcomes in franchise history. The Buccaneers jumped from No. 68 to No. 58 and selected Nebraska linebacker Lavonte David. David immediately became a three-down defensive centerpiece. His speed, range, coverage ability and knack for creating negative plays translated quickly, and his career eventually included first-team All-Pro recognition, repeated high-level seasons and a central role on the defense that won Super Bowl LV. The extra seventh-round pick Tampa Bay received became Drake Dunsmore, who did not add meaningful value, but the trade did not need another success once David became a long-term star.
The comparison is especially stark because both clubs were trying to solve legitimate roster needs. Houston added quantity and addressed receiver and defensive-line depth. Tampa Bay sacrificed that quantity for one player it considered too valuable to let slide. In hindsight, the Buccaneers' conviction was rewarded at an exceptional level.
Crick's useful career keeps Houston from receiving the lowest possible mark, and trading down for multiple contributors is usually defensible. Still, neither Posey nor Crick approached David's sustained influence. A deal that exchanged two mid-round selections for a future franchise icon is an emphatic Tampa Bay victory.