McClain: Texans are in better shape for next coach
John McClain, Staff writer
Jan. 24, 2022Updated: Jan. 24, 2022 6:33 p.m.
No matter who is hired as the fifth coach in franchise history, the Texans are much better off compared to this time last year.
First-time general manager Nick Caserio inherited a deteriorating team crushed by dreadful personnel decisions, and he was assigned by the McNair family to clean up the mess created by Bill O’Brien and Jack Easterby.
Caserio hired David Culley to coach a team coming off a 4-12 record,
a team without first- or second-round draft choices and suffocating under a pile of salary cap issues and a dreadful lack of talent at too many positions.
To make the situation even worse for Caserio and Culley, the Texans’ two best players — quarterback Deshaun Watson and defensive end J.J. Watt — desperately wanted out.
Watt asked for his release, and the McNairs granted his request. Watson, of course, is still on the payroll and about to see his base salary skyrocket from $10.54 million to $35 million. Caserio is hoping to trade him before the draft for a surplus of picks. (But any deal is held up pending the resolution of the 22 civil suits against Watson for sexual misconduct.)
The Texans had no quarterback to replace Watson and no pass rusher to replace Watt.
When the new league year began in March, Caserio went to work on the roster, tearing it down and trying to build it back up knowing it would be longer than a one-year process. Caserio brought in so many new players they had to wear name tags.
The Texans won as many games under Culley as they won in 2020 under O’Brien and interim coach Romeo Crennel. Caserio and Easterby fired Culley after the season, and now the hunt is on for the new coach.
Whether it’s Josh McCown, Brian Flores, Jonathan Gammon, Joe Lombardi, Kevin O’Connell, Hines Ward or another candidate, the new coach will be in a much better place than his predecessor.
Let’s start with the draft. After making trades, Caserio ended up with five selections. Quarterback Davis Mills, receiver Nico Collins, tight end Brevin Jordan, linebacker Garret Wallow and defensive tackle Roy Lopez all showed promise as rookies.
The Texans have nine picks this year, including their first- and second-round selections, and 19 over the next two drafts. That’s the most over a two-year period since the expansion years of 2002-03.
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