Texans finally add a GM to the front office

Following two years without a general manager, the Houston Texans began reshaping their management structure. They named Nick Caserio as general manager on Thursday, according to sources.

Caserio signed a six-year deal and faces immediate pressure to turn the franchise’s fortunes. The Texans went 4-12 last season and the assets to actively reload for the 2021 season are limited.

Fired head coach Bill O’Brien served as de facto general manager in 2019 and into 2020. During that time the Texans traded their 2021 first-round pick to the Miami Dolphins. That pick turned out to be the third overall selection. As well as that, they sent All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals. In return they got running back David Johnson and a second-round pick.

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Caserio served as the de facto GM of the New England Patriots, yielding final say to head coach Bill Belichick. Meanwhile, he ran the player personnel department.

“On behalf of my wife Kathleen and our entire family, I’m very humbled and honored by this opportunity to be the general manager of the Houston Texans,” Caserio said. “We would like to thank Janice, Cal and Hannah McNair for their belief in us that we can build something special that embraces the accomplishments of the past and accepts the challenges in front of us in our desire to be best.

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“This moment would not be possible without the support and guidance of those that have invested in me personally and professionally. We are forever grateful to the Kraft Family, Bill Belichick as well as the entire New England Patriots organization that has blessed our family in ways we can never repay. Our goal now is to serve the Texans organization and the Houston community by putting together a team that we all can be proud of on and off the field.”

In 2019, the Texans operated without a general manager after being accused of tampering by the Patriots around their interest in Caserio. Houston promised not to engage Caserio in 2020.

However as 2021 began, Caserio was among the candidates the Texans sought to interview. The other candidates included ESPN’s Louis Riddick, and Seattle Seahawks vice president of player personnel Trent Kirchner. Baltimore Ravens director of football research Scott Cohen was also in the mix, among others.