Defensive tackle Arik Armstead is now a free agent after the San Francisco 49ers released him on Wednesday. However, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports that he was almost headed to the Houston Texans.
A source told Barrows that on Tuesday, the 49ers had a deal in place to trade Armstead for Texans defensive tackle Maliek Collins. However, the deal fell apart when the Texans agreed to terms with edge rusher Danielle Hunter.
Despite the failed trade, the 49ers ended up acquiring Collins in exchange for a seventh-round pick, the No. 232 overall selection in next month's draft. Collins is the second defensive tackle San Francisco has added this week, with the team agreeing to terms on a two-year deal with former Cleveland Browns defender Jordan Elliott.
Armstead, who has missed 13 games over the last two seasons due to injuries, is already garnering interest from several teams, reportedly including the Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, and Texans.