Arik Armstead reveals Texans tried to trade for him before 49ers release

The 49ers and Texans were apparently involved in trade talks regarding Arik Armstead before the Niners ultimately released him.

Former San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Arik Armstead took a gamble on himself, declining the Niners' request to take a pay cut with the hope of capitalizing on a bigger deal as a newly released free agent.

It worked.

Armstead subsequently signed a three-year, $43.5 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars. That was substantially more than what he would have made if he stayed on with San Francisco after accepting a would-be pay cut.

The veteran described much of his experiences during his final days with the 49ers and through his signing with the Jags on the Third and Long podcast (h/t Pro Football Talk), which also included a little nugget about a trade that never materialized.

49ers apparently were going to trade Arik Armstead to Texans

According to Armstead, the Houston Texans were attempting to make a trade with the Niners for him.

“The Texans tried to trade for me, didn’t even want me to become a free agent," Armstead revealed. "I thought I was going there. Trade fell through. Boom, I end up hitting free agency."

Related story: 49ers free agency tracker 2024: Signings, departures and live updates

It makes sense why Houston would be interested. After all, former San Francisco defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans is now the Texans' head coach and made the playoffs during his first year. Landing someone like Armstead would help beef up Ryans' defensive line for a team that's looking to establish itself as the class of the AFC South.

Instead, though, Armstead inked with Houston's divisional rivals.

Armstead didn't reveal precisely why the trade fell through. Perhaps it was a matter of compensation in return, or maybe, the Texans weren't willing to take on all of Armstead's remaining contract with the 49ers and had asked them to absorb more than just any dead-money costs.

That news might be revealed in time, but it's one more interesting nugget to the saga that accompanied Armstead's final days with the Niners.

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