The relevant league policy requires that, in order to hire an executive under contract with another team, the new team must offer “the primary authority over all personnel decisions related to the signing of free agents, the selection of players in the College Draft, trades, and related decisions; and . . . the primary responsibility for coordinating other football activities with the head coach.”
Although “[f]inal authority regarding the composition of the 53-player roster is not a requirement,” the job nevertheless must convey primary authority to the G.M. If it doesn’t, request for permission to interview an executive under contract with another team can be denied.
The final analysis entails a delicate balance of the power the team is willing to give to the G.M., along with the power contractually reserved to the head coach. If coach Bill O’Brien already has the kind of authority that otherwise would go to a strong G.M., the G.M. job in Houston essentially becomes “G.M. Light,” lacking the kind of power that would allow the Texans to pry Caserio away from the Patriots.