Report: Texans, Seahawks near trade
Posted: Saturday September 1, 2007 1:33PM; Updated: Saturday September 1, 2007 2:16PM
HOUSTON (AP) -- The Houston Texans will trade former first-round pick Jason Babin to the Seattle Seahawks for strong safety Michael Boulware, Babin said Saturday.
"I heard that I'm going to Seattle," Babin told reporters. "We knew it was a possibility. It's the way football goes. Just do what you can while you're here."
Babin, a defensive end and the 27th pick in the 2004 draft, started every game as a rookie but lost his starting role in 2005 and has played in mostly a reserve role since.
"I'm a little shocked," he said. "Maybe I'm just shocked now, and I don't really have a wow emotion yet because I just found out. But it's still football. I'm still playing football. I'm still in the NFL so I'm happy."
Babin appeared in 15 games last season with three starts and had 26 tackles and five sacks.
He said the Seahawks told him they liked his pass-rushing ability.
"Seattle, they said, 'We're going to give you some chances to do some damage,"' he said. "So hey, time to go up there and rush the passer."
The Texans needed depth at safety after losing starter Glenn Earl for the season in the first exhibition game.
Boulware, a second-round pick in 2004, started eight games last season for the Seahawks and had 39 tackles and two interceptions. He had 73 tackles and four interceptions in 2005 and 63 tackles and five interceptions as a rookie.
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Early assumption is that Houston wins this one.