EAGAN, Minn. -- The Cardinals had a surplus at offensive tackle, and they wanted to take advantage of it.

So Thursday afternoon they made the second trade of the day of a player from their 2020 draft class, dealing former third-round pick Josh Jones to the Houston Texans along with a 2024 seventh-round pick in exchange for the Texans' 2024 fifth-round pick pending Jones passing a physical.

Earlier in the day the Cards dealt safety Isaiah Simmons to the Giants.

Jones was not present at practice as the Cardinals wrapped up the second of two joint workouts with the Vikings.

Jones is scheduled to be a free agent after the season. He and Kelvin Beachum were vying for the top reserve role behind starters D.J. Humphries and Paris Johnson. Jones had struggled at right guard when he started there in 2021 but played well at left tackle after Humphries was lost for the season in 2022.

Beachum, a veteran, also provides a solid locker-room presence.

In Houston, Jones is still projected to be a backup, with the Texans having paid big money to Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard. Howard is out injured right now, however, so Houston has the option to slot Jones at right tackle to start the season.

Since picks were swapped in the trade, the Cardinals hold steady with 12 total selections right now in the 2024 draft -- assuming they receive the expected compensatory pick for the free-agent loss of Zach Allen.

"(Getting picks) isn't what we are actively doing," GM Monti Ossenfort said. "What we are doing is actively making the best decisions for us this year moving forward."