Nick Caserio

Texans Open To Trading Down; Team Preparing To Pass On QB At No. 2?

April 17th, 2023 at 10:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nick Caserio does not intend to leave Houston after the draft, but the third-year GM is facing a decision comparable to the Texans’ 2006 Reggie Bush-or-Mario Williams call. The Texans stunned the football masses 17 years ago by taking Williams at No. 1; they continue to be linked to making another unexpected move.

The Texans are willing to listen to offers for their No. 2 overall pick, Caserio said Monday, adding calls have come in. Teams with top-five choices generally listen, though franchises with clear quarterback needs could be considered less inclined to entertain offers. But the Texans are believed to have placed a bit of a value gap between expected No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, who is now expected to be available at No. 2.

Suddenly, this draft’s potential early run on quarterbacks is far from a lock to continue at 2. The Texans look likely to pass on Stroud or any other quarterback at 2, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said during an NFL Live appearance (h/t Brobible’s Dov Kleiman). The prospect of Houston punting on filling its QB need at 2 has been out there for a bit now, but the consensus viewpoint has still been the team taking a passer — presumably Stroud — with the first of its two first-round picks. But the Texans also could nab a potentially safer pass-rushing prospect in this spot.

While the post-Peyton Manning Broncos, late-Doug Marrone-era Jaguars and Mitchell Trubisky-years Bears provide examples of the uphill battles that can form when high-end pass rushers are on teams without reliable quarterbacks, the Texans may well be considering Will Anderson Jr. or Tyree Wilson at 2. A previous report indicated the Texans were high on Anderson, but NBC Sports’ Peter King points to Wilson gaining steam, indicating he would not be surprised if the Texans chose the Texas Tech edge rusher over the two-time Bronko Nagurski award winner.

Both Anderson and Wilson have visited the Texans, and certain NFL staffers view the less productive Big 12 edge as presenting more upside than the SEC dynamo. Anderson finished with 27.5 sacks over the past two seasons; Wilson collected 14 and is coming off a season-ending foot injury. The Texans need help at defensive end, and former No. 2 overall pick Nick Bosa obviously made a considerable impact on DeMeco Ryans‘ career progression. It would still be a risk if the Texans leave Stroud on the board, and it would be interesting to see if the team makes an active effort to trade down if/once the Panthers select Young.

Sitting at No. 4, the Colts view the prospect of all the non-Young QBs being available to them as realistic, Schefter adds. A recent report indicated Indianapolis was leaning against trading up for a passer. The Cardinals have spoken with several teams about trading the No. 3 overall pick, as those teams would seemingly aim to leapfrog the QB-needy Colts, but Schefter indicates Indy has a real shot of staying at 4 and landing this draft’s QB2.

This reality would take the Cardinals standing pat and taking the best player available, which could be the edge rusher the Texans do not draft, but a QB-QB-QB start to this draft suddenly appears unlikely. Mel Kiper Jr.’s most recent mock draft has a QB-QB-QB-QB start, featuring Anthony Richardson and Will Levis going at Nos. 3 and 4, but Schefter doused that in cold water. The Colts are believed to rank Levis over Richardson, but we are in peak misdirection season. Stroud sitting there at 4 could render a Richardson-or-Levis decision moot.

A scenario in which non-QBs go off the board at Nos. 2 and 3 would hinge on the Cardinals not receiving the offer they want, and it would certainly make the Panthers’ eight-spot trade-up before free agency — which cost them D.J. Moore, their 2024 first-round pick and other assets — subject to scrutiny it has not yet received. The Texans also would be sitting at No. 12 in need of a quarterback.

Case Keenum and Davis Mills represent the Texans’ current QB room, and while the 2024 draft could include highly touted QB prospects Caleb Williams (USC) and Drake Maye (North Carolina), the AFC South team — which also hosted potential second-rounder Hendon Hooker on a visit — would certainly take a risk by not addressing its top need this year.

Nick Caserio Denies He Will Leave Texans After Draft

April 17th, 2023 at 3:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Given the opportunity to hire three head coaches in his first three offseasons as Texans GM, Nick Caserio is overseeing what has become a unique rebuilding project. Even after Caserio brought in HC DeMeco Ryans — on a longer contract compared (six years) to those given to David Culley and Lovie Smith — rumblings of a potential mid-offseason departure emerged recently.

Caserio, whom the Texans gave a six-year contract in 2021, has been connected to leaving the Texans after the draft. Post-draft GM shakeups — like the one that led Brian Gaine out of Houston in 2019 — are not entirely uncommon. The Bills, Chiefs and Jets made GM changes after the draft during the late 2010s. Caserio, 47, did his best to shoot down rumors he could return to the Patriots after the draft, doing so after veteran Houston reporter John McClain indicated he did not buy into a potential Caserio midyear exit.

“Quite frankly, I’m almost embarrassed I have to. I feel sort of like Leonardo DiCaprio in ‘Wolf of Wall Street.’ I’m not leaving,” Caserio said Monday, via ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime. “There’s never really been any substantive discussions of the sort.”

Gaine was on the job for barely a year when the Texans fired him. That decision preceded Bill O’Brien becoming the rare modern head coach/general manager; O’Brien’s brief GM tenure led the Texans to a place in which a lengthy rebuild became necessary. The Texans poached Caserio from New England, after failing to pry away the longtime Bill Belichick right-hand man previously, and gave him the keys to this overhaul.

Progress has proven elusive, and Caserio firing rumors did surface late last year. While Caserio still leads the Texans’ front office, ownership is believed to be more involved with this year’s draft than in previous springs. The Texans hold the No. 2 overall pick and are not certain to go with a quarterback, despite the Deshaun Watson mess leaving them without a viable signal-caller over the past two seasons. Houston has gone 7-26-1 and needed a final-minute fourth-and-20 conversion — one that gave the Bears (and then the Panthers) the No. 1 overall pick — to win in Week 18.

Caserio’s Watson trade gave the Texans three additional first-round picks, making the Browns quarterback the first to fetch three future firsts in a trade haul since Jim Plunkett in 1976. The Plunkett trade package included extra firsts across two drafts; the Texans obtained the Browns’ 2022, ’23 and ’24 Round 1 choices. Caserio worked without first- or second-round picks during his initial Texans offseason and has brought in a high number of middling veterans on one- or two-year deals; this blueprint, as expected, did not lead to many wins. Davis Mills‘ second go-round as a starter led to the Texans’ win total dropping in 2022.

Caserio’s first two HC searches produced strange endings, with neither Culley nor Smith connected to other teams before taking over, and Houston’s roster remains low on cornerstone players. But the team can add two more potential pillars in the first round this year. Caserio insists he will still be around to oversee this operation after making those picks.

Latest On Texans GM Nick Caserio’s Job Security

April 12th, 2023 at 7:40pm CST by Ben Levine

Nick Caserio has found himself on the hot seat for months now, but it doesn’t sound like he’ll be leaving the Texans any time soon. According to John McClain of Sports Radio 610 (via Twitter), the Texans general manager “isn’t going anywhere.”

Caserio made a name for himself during his two-decade stint in New England that eventually culminated in him earning the role of director of player personnel (despite the title, Bill Belichick still retained final personnel decisions). Following multiple attempts at recruiting the executive, the Texans finally landed Caserio as their new GM in 2021.

From a glass-half-full perspective, Caserio has done an admirable job restocking the team’s draft assets as they embarked on a total rebuild. Deshaun Watson‘s sudden trade request (and subsequent sexual misconduct headlines) led to the organization deactivating the QB, but the Texans emerged from the year-long soap opera with three first-round picks from Cleveland. Houston had zero first- or second-round picks during Caserio’s first offseason at the helm, but the team had multiple firsts last year (resulting in Derek Stingley and Kenyon Green) and will be armed with a pair of firsts and a pair of seconds in both 2023 and 2024.

From a glass-half-empty perspective, Caserio saw his organization fall from 4-13 in 2021 to 3-14 in 2022. The team was never expected to compete right away, but Caserio has seemingly acknowledged some of his mistakes along the way. The organization surprisingly fired David Culley after only one season, and they let go of Lovie Smith following his one season as head coach in 2022. DeMeco Ryans will now mark the third head coach in Caserio’s three years with the organization, and just the idea of that coaching carousel had the Texans losing confidence in their GM back in December. Further, the organization fired Jack Easterby, the executive who played a major role in bringing Caserio from Foxborough to Houston.

Following a 2022 campaign that featured few highlights, there were whispers that Caserio could end up getting canned. The organization decided to stick with Caserio through yet another head coaching search, and it sounds like they’re committed to him running another draft. However, if the Texans fail to show any progress in 2023, there’s a good chance the organization could be looking for a new general manager next offseason.

Texans, Lions, Bears Host Will Anderson Jr.; Houston Not Locked Into QB At No. 2?

April 4th, 2023 at 12:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Pre-draft visit season is in full swing, and the Texans are once again in possession of a top-three pick. The rebuilding team has long been expected to go with a quarterback at No. 2 overall, but GM Nick Caserio has not yet rushed into choosing a potential long-term Deshaun Watson replacement.

The Texans have met with Will Anderson Jr., Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. Houston joins Chicago and Detroit in having met with the sought-after edge rusher. The Bears and Lions have made their plans known at quarterback, committing to Justin Fields and Jared Goff for 2023. The Texans’ meeting obviously proves more interesting.

Houston has been linked to Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. Young and Will Levis have met with the Texans on pre-draft visits, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds Stroud will do so Wednesday (Twitter link). Expected to be the second team to take a quarterback in this draft, the Texans are not a lock to do so. Were Caserio not to love a quarterback who will be available at 2, NBC Sports’ Peter King hears some chatter the Texans could draft Anderson, who is considered a safer bet. The team has not scheduled a meeting with Florida’s Anthony Richardson.

In this scenario, King notes the Texans could use their No. 12 overall pick to trade back into position for one of the top quarterbacks. But taking Anderson at 2 and sacrificing future draft capital for perhaps the draft’s third- or fourth-best QB may not be the best plan from a value standpoint, but if the Texans like Anderson that much, it is a potential blueprint to monitor. The Texans do not have much in the way of edge talent, having lost Ogbonnia Okoronkwo to the Browns in free agency. DeMeco Ryans built his head coaching candidacy on the strength of strong defensive lines. The Texans have signed Sheldon Rankins and still have Maliek Collins under contract, but they are light on edge-rushing presences.

This should still be considered the less likely route for Houston, and King expects Caserio to indeed commit to a quarterback at 2. This marks the GM’s second draft with Watson in the rearview mirror, and after making his first two HC hires (David Culley, Lovie Smith) one-and-dones, Caserio has likely moved closer to the hot seat. Passing on a quarterback — potentially a former Heisman winner in Young, as the Panthers have been more closely linked to Stroud as of late — in this spot will inject more risk into Caserio’s situation.

Anderson has recorded 27.5 sacks over the past two seasons; ESPN’s Scouts Inc. grades the two-time Bronko Nagurski trophy recipient as the second-best prospect in this year’s draft. Anderson sits between Young and Stroud on that list, further illustrating the risk the Texans would take by going with the acclaimed edge rusher. Both Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay’s most recent mock drafts have Houston taking Young at 2.

Holding the No. 6 pick, the Lions may be sitting a bit low for Anderson, who would obviously make for an intriguing pass rusher on an Aidan Hutchinson-anchored defensive line. Three quarterbacks are expected to be taken in the top five, though Richardson and Levis’ statuses are more difficult to peg compared to Stroud and Young’s. Anderson’s availability could depend on where the Cardinals end up — should they trade out of No. 3 overall — and how the Seahawks proceed at 5. Even if all four top QBs go in the top five, it would still leave one slot available for Anderson, whom both McShay and Kiper have as the first non-passer off the board. The Bears are eyeing pass-rushing help, but Anderson will probably be out of their reach at No. 9.

Latest On Sean Payton

January 22nd, 2023 at 10:51am CST by Ely Allen

JANUARY 22: A league source tells Ben Volin of the Boston Globe that, since the Chargers’ head coaching job will not become available this year, the Panthers’ and Texans’ posts will be of most interest to Payton. In Volin’s opinion, the fact that Wilson called Payton to sell him on the Broncos’ job is not a good omen for Denver, and if Payton were to be lured to Houston, he may ultimately push general manager Nick Caserio out and take over as de facto GM. Both Houston and Carolina have the cash to pay Payton the salary he wants.

JANUARY 20: Payton’s Panthers interview has not been cancelled. He will meet with the team Monday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. That will be the former Saints HC’s third interview in a week. He met with the Texans on Jan. 16 and Broncos on Jan. 17.

JANUARY 19: The Broncos search for their fifth head coach since 2014 has been rolling this week as the franchise moves quickly and effectively in their plans. Denver’s three-person team of Broncos CEO and owner Greg Penner, owner Condoleezza Rice, and general manager George Paton has been cruising through initial interviews with a potential plan to move one to three finalists forward for second interviews next week, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS.

Most speculation is that a final three is emerging, similar to last year’s trio of finalists which consisted of Nathaniel Hackett, Kevin O’Connell, and Dan Quinn. The obvious frontrunner in his year’s search is former Saints head coach Sean Payton. Quinn is projected to join Payton as a finalist for the second straight year, while former Stanford head coach David Shaw is reportedly a sleeper candidate to round out the top three.

Payton interviewed on Tuesday and appears to have lived up to the hype in the meeting. Contradicting earlier reports that the Broncos and Saints were “on the same page” with respect to the trade compensation necessary to acquire Payton’s contract, Klis avers that the two parties “have not engaged in trade talks.” There is also a rumor that, despite interest from essentially every other team in the NFL with an open position, Payton will either end up with the Broncos or back on television with FOX, a belief reported by Denver7’s Troy Renck.

Payton was scheduled to interview with Carolina tomorrow, but those plans are “on hold” as Panthers owner David Tepper is spending time with the grieving players of his MLS team, Charlotte FC, following the passing of young defender Anton Walkes in a tragic boating accident today in Miami, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Russell Wilson has reportedly reached out to Payton, according to Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd who was quoted on his show saying, “Wilson has contacted Sean, legally, by the way, through channels. He wants Sean Payton. He needs fixing. He knows he needs fixing.”

Following their Tuesday morning meeting with Payton, the interview trio met with Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris who impressed them “with his preparation and plan to win.” The same three executives interviewed 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans today in San Francisco and will travel to Dallas for a meeting with Quinn tomorrow. This will conclude the initial interview process, and Denver will choose candidates moving forward out of the above-mentioned Payton, Quinn, Shaw, Morris, and Ryans and previously interviewed candidates Ejiro Evero, who is the team’s current defensive coordinator, and Jim Caldwell, who formerly served as the Colts and Lions head coach. The team also previously interviewed Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, but Harbaugh announced his decision to remain in Ann Arbor.

Whomever the franchise decides to move forward with will meet with a new group of executives consisting of Penner, his wife and co-owner Carrie Penner Walton, and controlling owner Rob Walton. Paton will reportedly also be available to spend time with the final candidates and participate in follow-up discussions.

It’s certainly sounding like Payton will be one of the few to move forward next week as both parties sound hellbent on the union. That being said, Quinn is being considered a “co-favorite” and Shaw’s Stanford connections to the Penners and Rice make him a candidate to be brought in next week, as well. We’ll just have to wait through the weekend to see how the next round in the process unfolds.

Texans Owner Cal McNair Addresses HC Search

January 16th, 2023 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

The Texans enter the offseason once again needing to find a new head coach, after they dismissed Lovie Smith last week. That move marked a second straight one-and-done year on the sidelines in Houston, and added to the tumult the organization has dealt with since the Bill O’Brien era came to an end.

The latter was fired during the 2020 season, and replaced on an interim basis by Romeo Crennel. That led to an underwhelming stint with David Culley last year, and then the unorthodox process by which Smith was installed as head coach after serving as the team’s defensive coordinator. Overall, the Texans have gone 11-38-1 over the past three years and have plenty of roster holes to fill as they continue their rebuild.

The team’s search for what they hope will be a long-term hire on the sidelines will take on a slightly different look this time. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 details how owner Cal McNair will use a more hands-on approach during the selection process, a departure from his stance in previous years which left general manager Nick Caserio at the forefront of Culley’s and Smith’s respective selections.

“Now we’re committed to getting this one right,” McNair said. “I have full confidence in Nick. He has led our football operations through a difficult stretch and continues to prove he is an elite talent evaluator. We talk constantly and have a plan for this process that we’ll execute together over the next days and weeks. For this hire, I’ll be taking on a more active role in the process.”

Caserio himself has also said the 2023 hiring process will be more comprehensive in terms of the personnel involved. He noted the organization’s intention of “implementing some different techniques and tactics” and receiving input from a larger number of voices in the building. That admission comes at a time when changes could be coming in the front office. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports (via Twitter) that “due diligence background and research” is ongoing regarding Texans personnel, though any moves will likely not threaten Caserio’s job security.

As for the HC vacancy, one factor to watch could be the latter’s background in New England. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports that McNair would be “leery” of hiring a coach with Patriots ties, in light of Caserio’s experience with the team. That could hurt the candidacy of, for instance, Jerod Mayo and Brian Flores, and at least partially explain why neither of them have been connected to this year’s Texans vacancy.

In spite of the uncertainty surrounding Houston’s future, McNair remains optimistic. “We know the last two seasons have not been what we had hoped for, but we’re committed to building a program that’s successful long-term,” he said. “We’ve dealt with unprecedented circumstances over the last several years, but we’re excited about our future and where we’re headed.”

Texans Could Fire HC Lovie Smith, GM Nick Caserio

January 8th, 2023 at 9:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

9:13pm: When speaking to reporters after the team’s win over the Colts (which, given its effect on the upcoming draft, has not been perceived as such), Smith downplayed the swirling speculation that he is on the way out.

“First off, there are reports,” he said, via Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. “I don’t know what the reports are… Do I expect to be back? Yeah, I expect to be back. Absolutely.” He added that his most recent meeting with McNair was simply the latest in regular post-game sit-downs between the two. Depending on what takes place tomorrow, his remarks could prove to be well-founded or wind up being a moot point.

2:44pm: One of the teams generating the most attention around the NFL with respect to potential changes on the sidelines and in the front office is the Texans. Houston has been marked by instability and underwhelming win-loss records in recent years, and their rebuild could soon be headed in a very different direction.

Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reports that one of head coach Lovie Smith, general manager Nick Caserio or both “will be gone” at the conclusion of the regular season, putting them in danger of being fired tomorrow (video link). Given recent reporting on each of them, that would come as little surprise, in spite of the continued turbulence the organization would be undergoing in the event of a third straight coaching change.

KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson corroborates the sense that Smith, 64, will not return in 2023. As his sources explain, the team’s on-field performance – including a 2-13-1 record heading into today’s season finale against the Colts, and struggles in almost every category on both sides of the ball – is only one reason for a likely change. Others include the way he is perceived in the organization with respect to his approach and his stubbornness to alter it.

Smith (whose job status was one the Texans were already reported to be planning to evaluate following the season) has taken steps in recent days to try and avoid receiving a pink slip. The former Coach of the Year has been meeting with owner Cal McNair to “state his case” for being retained for at least one more year, per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Smith would join David Culley as a one-and-done bench boss in Houston in consecutive seasons should his efforts prove futile.

Notably, Wilson reports that Caserio should actually be considered to be on relatively solid footing, adding that sources would be “extremely surprised” if he is let go. The longtime Patriots exec was, like Smith, reported to be on thin ice in the wake of the Texans’ struggles this year, one in which expectations were tempered. The 2022 season was always likely to include a long list of losses, but a lack of development by quarterback Davis Mills in particular has made the season a disappointing one.

The Texans are slated to pick no worse than second overall in the upcoming draft, however, which will give the franchise an opportunity to add a long-term answer at the position. That – coupled with a notable stock of other picks, cap space and a small group of young, encouraging players – could make the GM job an enticing one, should Caserio be dismissed. As for a potential Smith replacement, both Glazer and the NFLN pair name 49ers defensive coordinator (and former Texans linebacker) DeMeco Ryans as a name to watch when the coaching cycle begins to heat up.

Bears Clinch No. 1 Pick In 2023 NFL Draft

January 8th, 2023 at 4:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

Most of the NFL’s attention was on the AFC playoff picture during the early slate of Sunday’s Week 18 games, but another important development took place along the way. The results of the Bears’ and Texans’ respective contests has left Chicago with the top pick in the upcoming draft.

The Bears, facing no need to win their season finale against the Vikings, sat starting quarterback Justin Fields. That move ended his opportunity to break the all-time single-season rushing record at the position, but also helped lessen the chances of an upset which would have taken them out of contention for the No. 1 slot. In his place, Chicago used both Nathan Peterman and Tim Boyle under center en route to a 29-13 loss.

That left the door open to Houston taking themselves out of the top spot, something which would take place only in the event they won against the Colts – a team which has cratered under interim head coach Jeff Saturday. In a back-and-forth game, Houston was able to score a Hail Mary touchdown on fourth-and-20 inside the final minute to bring them within one of Indianapolis. They successfully executed a two-point conversion to seal the win, one which knocked them down to the second overall pick in the process.

While it remains to be seen what effect (if any) that result has on Houston head coach Lovie Smith and general manager Nick Caserio with respect to their job security, it marks a considerable shake-up in the draft order. The Texans appeared to be on track to secure the top slot for most of the season, but the Bears’ struggles left them within striking distance as well. Now, the Bears will have the opportunity to make the draft’s first selection for only the third time in franchise history and the first since 1947.

It should be noted, of course, that there is a very real possibility that today’s reversal at the top of the board does not end up having a dramatic effect on the way things play out. Presuming both teams keep their picks, Chicago will likely be inclined to add to their defense, given Fields’ improvement shown during the season, as well as his age (23) and contract status (two more years on his rookie contract, and the potential of a fifth-year option). That could point them towards Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. or Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter with the No. 1 pick.

Houston, meanwhile, is widely expected to target a quarterback in April with one of their two first-rounders. That has led to plenty of connections between the Texans and Alabama’s Bryce Young, the highest-rated passer in the 2023 class. Chicago selecting a defender (or at least a different signal-caller) first overall would still all-but assuredly leave the Texans with their top target on the board; their extra Day 1 pick could also help them outbid other suitors for the top slot should the Bears make it available.

In any event, Bears GM Ryan Poles and Caserio (or his replacement) will each be well-positioned to add significantly to their respective teams in the spring given today’s events.

AFC South Rumors: Gannon, Caserio, Colts

December 16th, 2022 at 2:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Lovie Smith joins Denver’s Nathaniel Hackett as the first-year coaches on the shakiest ground. The Texans are 1-11-1, on pace to finish with a worse record than they did under Nick Caserio‘s first HC hire (David Culley). Smith following Culley as a one-and-done is on the radar, though the prospect of Caserio being allowed to hire a third coach in three years is also uncertain. If Caserio does fire Smith and is granted permission to stay on and hire another coach, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon will be back on the radar for the job.

Gannon was one of the Texans’ finalists for the Houston HC position this year, and Fowler adds Caserio was impressed by the then-rookie DC. The Texans bringing Gannon back into the finalist discussion might be more difficult in 2023, with Gannon’s Eagles defense making strides. This could well lead to more interested teams; Gannon already interviewed for three jobs (Houston, Denver, Minnesota) this year. The Texans did interview Josh McCown in back-to-back offseasons. Smith was not viewed as a finalist until the end of the process, leaving Gannon in Philly and McCown out of the league.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

Jim Irsay said last month he wanted Jeff Saturday to stay on as the Colts‘ next full-time HC. Saturday has said he will pursue that position, should Irsay want to interview him. While an interview seems a certainty, Irsay couched his Saturday support by saying there are “great candidates out there.” “I’m looking forward to the interview process,” Irsay said this week. “I think Jeff’s a candidate, but there’s a lot of great candidates out there. I think there’s a lot of great candidates in college. I think the pool needs to be broadened somewhat more. There’s some great college coaches that may be capable. There’s some unknown coaches that may be capable.” Saturday is 1-3 in his start as Indy’s interim coach.
In the event the Texans go the other way with Caserio, the Titans could be a landing spot for the longtime Bill Belichick right-hand man. A GM who spoke with the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora indicated Tennessee would be an ideal fit for Caserio, given Vrabel’s Patriots background. Caserio was in New England’s front office during throughout Vrabel’s nine-season Pats tenure. Amy Adams Strunk said Vrabel will be included in the Titans’ next GM search process, and while it might look strange to see an exec who has overseen a woeful two-year stretch (Houston is 5-24-1 under Caserio) in the AFC South be considered for another top front office gig so soon, Vrabel’s presence will be important for how Tennessee proceeds.
Hall of Famer Kevin Mawae will hold more responsibility on Saturday’s staff going forward. The Colts‘ assistant offensive line coach will transition to the role of tight ends coach, Saturday said. Mawae will replace Klayton Adams, whom KCRA’s Michelle Dapper notes is leaving to become Stanford’s O-line coach (Twitter link). Adams will join new Cardinal HC Troy Taylor in Palo Alto. Adams, 39, coached at the college level for 14 years prior to joining Frank Reich‘s staff in 2019. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019, Mawae is in his second season on the Colts’ staff.

Texans Losing Confidence In Nick Caserio?

December 6th, 2022 at 5:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans spent multiple offseasons trying to lure Nick Caserio from the Patriots, and he is leading a lengthy rebuild process. At 1-10-1, Houston is the only team with fewer than three wins this season. Ownership may be losing faith in this attempted climb.

Despite the extensive interest that led Caserio to Houston, the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora notes the former Patriots exec is not on nearly as stable ground as he was previously. The prospect of Caserio making another HC (Lovie Smith) a one-and-done may be an issue for the longtime Bill Belichick right-hand man.

Caserio surprisingly fired David Culley after one season, and although Smith was not believed to be a finalist, the GM promoted him this offseason. While the Texans showed late progress under Culley, they have flatlined under Smith in recent weeks. The team has lost by at least two scores in each of its past three games. Should the Texans fire Smith, La Canfora adds several GMs around the league would not expect Caserio to have the opportunity to hire a third coach in three years.

The Texans fired the executive who helped bring Caserio from Foxborough to Houston (Jack Easterby). Caserio and Smith had frozen out the unpopular executive during his final stretch with the franchise. But the Texans are slogging through their third straight dreadful season.

Considering the shape the Texans were in when they fired coach/GM Bill O’Brien during the 2020 season, it was always assumed a rebuild would take time. While this is looking like one of the longer rebuild efforts in recent memory, Caserio is months removed from collecting a historic compensation package for a quarterback (Deshaun Watson) amid what turned out to be a near-two-year layoff. The Texans became only the second team to nab three first-round picks for a veteran quarterback, following the Patriots’ 1976 haul for Jim Plunkett, and the team made four first- or second-round picks in this year’s draft. Watson had lobbied for a trade shortly after Caserio’s hire, and while the avalanche of sexual misconduct headlines dented the Pro Bowl QB’s trade value last year, the Texans stood pat by deactivating the former franchise centerpiece last season and relaunching the awkward sweepstakes in 2022.

The Texans did not have first- or second-round picks in Caserio’s initial draft, but they have two firsts in 2023 and ’24. Derek Stingley and Kenyon Green became the team’s first-rounders this year, and fourth-rounder Dameon Pierce has been one of the league’s top rookies this season. The second of Houston’s Round 2 picks — wideout John Metchie — is out for the season due to a leukemia battle. The Texans are in pole position for the No. 1 overall pick next year, where they will assuredly be linked to a quarterback. Their Mills-Kyle Allen setup does not seem likely to last beyond this season.

It would be interesting to see the Texans pull the plug and try another reboot. Both Caserio coaching searches did involve Josh McCown as a finalist, but the longtime quarterback’s lack of experience became a factor late in each. This year’s interview process also included Brian Flores as a finalist, despite his lawsuit against the NFL and multiple teams (the Texans were subsequently added to that list), along with Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon. Caserio instead went with Smith, a third-chance coach who never seemed particularly likely to be with the team when it was ready to contend. The team’s struggles under Smith certainly appear to be affecting Caserio’s status.

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