Kai Kroeger dealt in late-round pick swap as Texans add a new punter
kai kroeger is on the move to Houston after the Texans acquired a new punter through a trade on March 10, 2026 (ET). The Texans picked up the punter and a 2028 seventh-round pick from the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round draft pick. The move gives Houston a replacement for Tommy Townsend while New Orleans improves its draft position in a late-round swap.
Trade terms: Kai Kroeger to Houston, picks exchanged for 2028
The Texans acquired punter Kai Kroeger and a seventh-round pick in 2028 from the Saints, sending back a 2028 sixth-round selection, per a league source. The transaction is framed as a specialist move with long-range draft value attached, with both picks in the 2028 cycle.
In the same report, it was stated that Kai Kroeger is not receiving a new deal immediately, per a league source. Contract details cited show Kai Kroeger under contract through the 2027 season with salaries of $1. 005 million and $1. 112 million.
Why the Saints made him available, and what the Texans are getting
The Saints recently signed former Minnesota Vikings punter Ryan Wright, a step that made Kroeger available for this move. That roster decision opened the door for the draft-pick swap that sent the punter to an AFC playoff team.
Performance details included in the same information describe Kroeger as a former undrafted free agent from South Carolina, where he was an All-American selection and an All-Southeastern Conference selection. Previously with the New York Jets, Kroeger averaged 44. 8 yards for the Saints, with 18 punts placed inside opponents’ 20-yard lines. The report also notes he had two blocked punts, impacting his average.
Immediate reactions from the reporting and the league-source framing
Aaron Wilson, Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2, attributed the trade framework to a league source, including the exact draft-pick exchange and the note that no new contract is expected right away. The same league-source framing was used to outline Kroeger’s contract figures through the 2027 season.
Separately, the Texans’ special teams reshaping extended beyond punter, with Wilson also detailing another league-source item: the Texans are signing former Baltimore Ravens linebacker and special teams standout Jake Hummel. Hummel agreed to a two-year, $5. 25 million deal that includes a $900, 000 signing bonus, a $1. 25 million salary guaranteed in 2026, an annual $100, 000 signing bonus, annual $250, 000 per-game active roster bonuses, annual $250, 000 Pro Bowl incentives, and a $1. 9 million salary in 2027 that is nonguaranteed.
Quick context and what happens next
The trade positions Houston with a new punter while New Orleans gains a better late-round pick in 2028, reflecting how teams can treat specialist roles as opportunities to re-balance draft capital. The Saints’ recent signing of Ryan Wright provided the practical opening for the move.
Next steps are straightforward: kai kroeger joins the Texans under his existing contract terms, with no immediate new deal expected, while the 2028 pick swap is locked into the teams’ longer-range draft plans as of March 10, 2026 (ET).
