2002 NFL Expansion Draft The 2002 National Football League Expansion Draft was the most recent National Football League ( NFL ) draft in which a new expansion team , named the Houston Texans , selected its first players . On October 6 , 1999 , in Atlanta , NFL owners had unanimously voted to award the 32nd NFL franchise and the Super Bowl XXXVIII to the city of Houston , Texas . So that the Texans could become competitive with existing teams , the league awarded the Texans the first pick in the 2002 NFL Draft and gave them the opportunity to select current players from existing teams . That selection was provided by the expansion draft , held on February 18 , 2002 . In this draft , held months before the regular draft , the existing franchises listed players from which the Texans could select to switch to the new team . This was the second expansion draft after the NFL had instituted the salary cap , which limited the total amount teams could spend on the their roster of players . Teams placed many quality players on the list who had large contracts , as the Texans were required to assume the contracts of those players if selected . The Texans selected three players with a total salary - cap value of $ 14 . 9 million from the Jacksonville Jaguars , who were $ 23 million over the cap ; three players with a total salary - cap value of $ 14 . 1 million from the New York Jets , who were $ 16 million over the cap ; and two players with a total salary - cap value of $ 7 . 1 million from the Baltimore Ravens , who were $ 23 million over the cap . The list included 155 NFL players , 25 of whom were Pro Bowl players . The draft took place live and aired on ESPN . The Texans drafted a total of nineteen players . Rules of the Draft . Process . Each NFL team listed five players that the Texans could select , and the Texans were required to claim either 30 players or $ 27 . 2 million in contracts ( 38 % of the 2002 salary cap ) . After the Texans selected a player from an existing team , that team could remove a player from their remaining list . If a second player was taken , the existing team could then pull back its remaining two players . However , teams were not required to remove players from the draftable list , resulting in three Jets and three Jaguars being drafted to the Texans . The Texans were prohibited from selecting a player from a team and trading the player back to that club . Player limitations . Existing teams were not allowed to put punters or kickers on the list , nor any player from their 2001 roster who would have become an unrestricted free agent in 2002 . They could not list players who went on injured reserve during the 2001 summer ' s training camp nor any player who would become a restricted free agent after the 2001 season . Their list could include only one player with more than 10 years ' experience . Salary cap ramifications . The Texans assumed the contracts of the players they selected , including all future portions of their signing bonuses and any guarantees or other terms . If the Texans cut a selection and he re - signed with his old team , the existing team re - assumed his signing bonus . Extra bonuses that did not count against the Texans ' salary cap were given to veteran players who were selected . Those selected received $ 10 , 000 immediately , an additional $ 20 , 000 bonus for reporting to training camp , and another $ 30 , 000 for making the active roster during the regular season .