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Nick Caserio - New GM

TexansBull

Hall of Fame
Why would any of these guys be the best man for the job tho..none of these newer guys that got gigs this offseason reveal that they were so much more qualified to be the next HC over Culley if you just step back and objectively look at what they’d done prior to getting their gigs.

Saleh hadn’t really done anything except 1 year where he had a stout defense that went to the SB. Like literally that’s it. What’s lost In that tho is that his defense was absolutely LOADED that year. His whole front 4 were all #1 picks at 1 point or another. The 2 years prior to that when he was the defensive coordinator their defense wasn’t good under him.

Bienemy...yes he’s been the official playcaller for KC the last few years, but everyone KNOWS that the machinery behind him is Reid. So how good would he really be as a HC without Reid? No one knows but if they had to handicap it based on his most recent protege, it ain’t good...& apparently the rest of the league doesn’t think so either since this is 3 years running now where he hasn’t gotten a gig.

Culley hadn’t held a coordinator position..but neither had Reid or Harbaugh before they took over as HC...they’ve seemed to do pretty well.

so I’m not really a buyer in what’s on a guy’s resume being the main thing to determine if they’re the right person for the job.
I think they hired Culley because he is the type of guy to keep everyone positive when things are the bleakest.

And things have been pretty bleak lately.

You could fire they guy in two - three years and he would smile and say thanks. Which they will do becuase he seems to be the perfect guy to take the fall if things don’t work out.

Culley seems to be the opposite of Belicheck which is most interesting to me.
 

Number19

Hall of Fame
...Honestly, I still have not figured out why David Culley...I do not sense that he has any sort of vision for this team
...Culley seems to be the opposite of Belicheck which is most interesting to me.
Culley is a disciple of Andy Reid. He spent 17 years coaching under Reid from 1999 to 2016.

If you listen to Culley's February news conference, he didn't reveal much on what to expect offensively; but what he did say mirrows Reid's coaching style in K.C. So I believe we can expect the offense to to be more of a "hybrid college-professional" system.

So yes, different from the Erhardt-Perkins system run by the Patriots.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
There is something about Wolf that we don’t know about on why he keeps getting passed up for GM spots. Someone with his experience should be a shoe in but he is always the bridesmaid and never the bride. He watched Dorsey rebuild the Browns. He did a year in Seattle. Worked in Green Bay.

Maybe he isn’t up to it. Can’t work the hours. Doesn’t show the passion. Medical issues. One can only speculate.
Or maybe he wants more power/control than what is being offered & not too many teams are ready to go that route just yet. Seems like more teams are following the boardroom model.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
Which they will do becuase he seems to be the perfect guy to take the fall if things don’t work out.
But you know things won’t work out. I’m optimistically looking forward to an 8-8 season, but we all know the deck is stacked against the Texans & 4 wins may be pie in the sky right now.

I’m just saying... do you really need a scapegoat when expectations are so low?
 

Mr teX

Hall of Fame
So.... how do you decide?
has to be a combo of both his resume and the sit down. The sit down is important b/c you gotta gauge the person’s attitude, flexibility and adaptability & how comfortable a guy appears to be with what YOU Want and need....not what he can bring. I think that’s a mistake lots of hiring managers make. They look at guy’s resume, see he has done certain things and think he should be a good candidate and hire those guys largely off that. What often times gets lost tho is that what’s on their resume is either embellished performed under heavy supervision and/or under certain circumstances with certain tools or support. The sit down is important for figuring all that out.

Bienemy for example has the title, and probably is the guy who technically calls the plays into Mahomes, but my questions for him would be aimed at finding out just how much influence Reid has on calls and developing the gameplan. After all, Reid does have a headset and Denny’s menu too. He also reportedly asked for full control over personnel when he was interviewed. Does this mean that he maybe isn’t gonna be as effective at his job if he doesn’t have this?
 

TexansBull

Hall of Fame
Or maybe he wants more power/control than what is being offered & not too many teams are ready to go that route just yet. Seems like more teams are following the boardroom model.
Or maybe he doesn’t have a strong enough analytics background for some:

“Wolf's father, Ron—who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his work as the general manager of the Green Bay Packers—did not hold back in comments about his son's ouster and the Browns' "out of control" love of analytics.

"When something goes wrong, who takes responsibility?" he asked ESPN's Chris Mortensen. "Their answer: 'Well, that's what the data told us.' What a crock. That's what got 'em 1-31."

 

TexansBull

Hall of Fame
But you know things won’t work out. I’m optimistically looking forward to an 8-8 season, but we all know the deck is stacked against the Texans & 4 wins may be pie in the sky right now.

I’m just saying... do you really need a scapegoat when expectations are so low?
One can hope but I do think 4 wins is a safer bet than 8-8.

I hope to see Tyrod do well and think he can fill the QB gap for two-three years.

But this is a total rebuild. NC just nuked the place and brought in the optimistic guy he could find to keep spirits up. Maybe I am underestimating him and he will do well and exceed everyone’s expectations. I hope he is the next Reid/Harbaugh/Cowher.

If the guy can pull off 8-8 the next year or two I will say he over achieved. Especially with next years schedule.

If not I am pretty sure Cal already knows there is a plan B.

I hope they have a plan.
 

powda

The bridge between stupid and useless is short.
One can hope but I do think 4 wins is a safer bet than 8-8.

I hope to see Tyrod do well and think he can fill the QB gap for two-three years.

But this is a total rebuild. NC just nuked the place and brought in the optimistic guy he could find to keep spirits up. Maybe I am underestimating him and he will do well and exceed everyone’s expectations. I hope he is the next Reid/Harbaugh/Cowher.

If the guy can pull off 8-8 the next year or two I will say he over achieved. Especially with next years schedule.

If not I am pretty sure Cal already knows there is a plan B.

I hope they have a plan.

I am more confident in NC then the coaching staff at this point...

We'll see.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
One can hope but I do think 4 wins is a safer bet than 8-8.

I hope to see Tyrod do well and think he can fill the QB gap for two-three years.

But this is a total rebuild. NC just nuked the place and brought in the optimistic guy he could find to keep spirits up. Maybe I am underestimating him and he will do well and exceed everyone’s expectations. I hope he is the next Reid/Harbaugh/Cowher.

If the guy can pull off 8-8 the next year or two I will say he over achieved. Especially with next years schedule.

If not I am pretty sure Cal already knows there is a plan B.

I hope they have a plan.
So in all that, I didn’t see an answer to why we need a scapegoat when expectations are so low.
 

Mr teX

Hall of Fame
I think 8-8 is definitely within reach...there aren’t any holdovers from last years team in any major capacity. All these guys are either new and are coming in with a whole new staff anyway, or are coming back to a staff who have a whole new attitude and/or mindset than what they experienced with BoB last year. I believe that the DW4 stuff will begin to die down once the season starts simply b/c he won’t be in the building to be a distraction like an Antonio Brown or Jalen Ramsey. The team will most definitely have made a decision on him before TC starts and it’ll be out of site out of mind at that point.
 

TexansBull

Hall of Fame
So in all that, I didn’t see an answer to why we need a scapegoat when expectations are so low.
Because it’s the NFL and scapegoats run wild.

Seriously though he may be more of a stepping stone than anything.

Or maybe he is the real deal. Dunno. The guys can be literally anything.
 

Jack Burton

Veteran
There goes the $$$. There goes our star qb. There goes any hope of getting something for him in draft capital.

let’s get Alex smith and least tank with some style.

we’re gonna be hurting for years. Like a 4 year rebuild
Nah. Caserio can rebuild this in 2 years if he does it right. Smith was 10-6 as a starter for WASH. I’d rather just roll with Tyrod and find a way to draft QB Davis Mills STAN.
Let him sit a year and start getting him weapons next year.
 

Double Barrel

Texans Talk Admin
Staff member
Contributor's Club
Why would any of these guys be the best man for the job tho..none of these newer guys that got gigs this offseason reveal that they were so much more qualified to be the next HC over Culley if you just step back and objectively look at what they’d done prior to getting their gigs.

Saleh hadn’t really done anything except 1 year where he had a stout defense that went to the SB. Like literally that’s it. What’s lost In that tho is that his defense was absolutely LOADED that year. His whole front 4 were all #1 picks at 1 point or another. The 2 years prior to that when he was the defensive coordinator their defense wasn’t good under him.

Bienemy...yes he’s been the official playcaller for KC the last few years, but everyone KNOWS that the machinery behind him is Reid. So how good would he really be as a HC without Reid? No one knows but if they had to handicap it based on his most recent protege, it ain’t good...& apparently the rest of the league doesn’t think so either since this is 3 years running now where he hasn’t gotten a gig.

Culley hadn’t held a coordinator position..but neither had Reid or Harbaugh before they took over as HC...they’ve seemed to do pretty well.

so I’m not really a buyer in what’s on a guy’s resume being the main thing to determine if they’re the right person for the job.
Time will tell, and what will ultimately determine if Culley is the right guy will be the results on the field.

If there are other metrics for success as an NFL head coach beyond results, then maybe this franchise is less about winning games and more about whatever it is that they determine more important than on-field success.

And tbh, if building character, or building culture, or whatever, is more important than winning games, then maybe it's time to reevaluate being a fan of this franchise in general.

btw, I don't dislike Culley. I hope he's everything and more that this franchise wants and needs in a HC. That said, I'm not going to deny my own internal skepticism for blind optimism.
 

Texian

Hall of Fame
Time will tell, and what will ultimately determine if Culley is the right guy will be the results on the field.

If there are other metrics for success as an NFL head coach beyond results, then maybe this franchise is less about winning games and more about whatever it is that they determine more important than on-field success.

And tbh, if building character, or building culture, or whatever, is more important than winning games, then maybe it's time to reevaluate being a fan of this franchise in general.

btw, I don't dislike Culley. I hope he's everything and more that this franchise wants and needs in a HC. That said, I'm not going to deny my own internal skepticism for blind optimism.
Couldn't agree more. Many here say I hate Caserio because he's from NE. Not true, that is just the history that is against him. Cal, O'Brien and Easterby thought he was the best man for the job (now that scares the hell out of me). - STRIKE 1

His first decision was not to consider a college coach. I disagree, that is short sighted, limits field and scope, creates tunnel vision. Hires a coach with no coordinator or head coach experience. STRIKE 2.

Trades for Cannon, Izzo and Finley who would've been cut anyways. Caserio gave up valuable draft capital to sign them (at inflated salaries) that could've been used to move up for better, younger and cheaper players, longer term players. - STRIKE 3.

Refused to take calls or discuss trading the quarter back. - STRIKE 4

Restructured 5 contracts and counting (maybe a record) in the first year of rebuilding borrowing over $30 million for 2022, 2023 salary caps to rearrange chairs on Titanic in 2021. - STRIKE 5

I am diametrically opposed to every Caserio decision made so far. This is why I am not a Caserio fan. Why I also expect things to get worse. I have same negative feelings in my gut about Caserio as I did when Bob McNair hired Bill O'Brien. We have seen this movie before.
 
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Mr teX

Hall of Fame
Time will tell, and what will ultimately determine if Culley is the right guy will be the results on the field.

If there are other metrics for success as an NFL head coach beyond results, then maybe this franchise is less about winning games and more about whatever it is that they determine more important than on-field success.

And tbh, if building character, or building culture, or whatever, is more important than winning games, then maybe it's time to reevaluate being a fan of this franchise in general.

btw, I don't dislike Culley. I hope he's everything and more that this franchise wants and needs in a HC. That said, I'm not going to deny my own internal skepticism for blind optimism.
I can respect that. You'd be a blind homer if you didn't have at least some level of skepticism about any HC hire. My contention is i just don't see any real reason to get down on him as the hire when 1 of the hottest candidates this offseason has 1 season of good results as a DC and the other hasn't been able to land a job in 3 years as THE guy everyone says you should go out to get as the HC.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
And tbh, if building character, or building culture, or whatever, is more important than winning games, then maybe it's time to reevaluate being a fan of this franchise in general.
Before this Watson fiasco I’d have agreed with you. But for the Texans to come out with a “wins is the only thing that matters” approach, may send the wrong message.

I know, I know... 20 years of good boy image and all. But you know what they say, you sodomize 1 goat...
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
Couldn't agree more. Many here say I hate Caserio because he's from NE. Not true, that is just the history that is against him. Cal, O'Brien and Easterby thought he was the best man for the job (now that scares the hell out of me). - STRIKE 1

His first decision was not to consider a college coach. I disagree, that is short sighted, limits field and scope, creates tunnel vision. Hires a coach with no coordinator or head coach experience. STRIKE 2.

Trades for Cannon, Izzo and Finley who would've been cut giving up draft capital that could've been used to move up for better, younger and cheaper players. - STRIKE 3.

Refused to take calls or discuss trading the quarter back. - STRIKE 4

Restructured 5 contracts and counting (maybe a record) in the first year of rebuilding borrowing over $30 million for 2022, 2023 salary caps to rearrange chairs on Titanic in 2021. - STRIKE 5

I would've hired Eliot Wolf who has more experienced and was trained by HOF GM(s) and Mike Renner as Asst GM; I would consider college coaches talking first with proven winners Luke Fickell and Kirby Smart;

I would NOT have traded for players who would've been cut anyways, trying instead to sign them as FA at cheaper price, keeping draft capital to move up for better, younger, cheaper, longer term players if needed;

I would've taken calls day 1 on DW4. I established a trade value of 6000 pts. As far I know I am the only one to do so. I would've included Cooks for 6500 points increasing draft capital (another 2nd RD) and reducing salary cap by $10MM;

I would not have restructured any contracts or borrowed money from future years. With JJ, Cooks and 4 or 5 players cut would've provided over $40 MM in cap space. Restructuring would only be used in emergency to trade DW4.

The above is my opinions of how to be prudent responsible rebuilding of a dumpster fire of a team. The Texans may end up with 1st pick in 2022 but that is part of the plan to improve draft capital. Since all of my opinions to improve and rebuild the team directly disagree with all of Caserios decisions is why I am not a Caserio fan and why I expect things to get worse.
I would have brought Ozzie Newsome in, trade DW4 for Aaron Rogers. Then packaged Jj, Cooks, & Fuller for Aaron Donald. Then ship my entire 2021 draft to New York for Saquon Barkley.
 

TexansBull

Hall of Fame
It is possible that the Texans could not trade Watson with the amount of information they knew. Whichever team they would have traded with could have filed a complaint and the trade reversed and the Texans could be penalized by losing one or multiple draft picks.

The Texans may not want to go down that road if what they knew and when.

So there goes any fantasy of trading Watson for unicorns.
 

TexansBull

Hall of Fame
Heads / Tails

No matter how many times you flip, the odds are still 50 / 50

We just keep making the wrong call.

:coffee:
I looked back at teams that have had coaching changes recently or haven’t reached the AFC Championship game the last 5 years. Here is the list of other teams that have gotten it wrong enough to make coaching changes or haven’t been a stones throws away from the AFC championship game. There are only 4 teams that don’t make the list. Chiefs, Patriots, Titans and Bills. Only 25% of the AFC has had some level of this measurement.

My point is at least we aren’t alone as because of the Patriots the AFC has been the hardest place to win recently.

I didn’t look at the NFC closely because I am lazy, but I am sure it’s close for the same. Seahawks, 49ers, and maybe one or two others would be there.
 

cuppacoffee

Resident Grouch
I looked back at teams that have had coaching changes recently or haven’t reached the AFC Championship game the last 5 years. Here is the list of other teams that have gotten it wrong enough to make coaching changes or haven’t been a stones throws away from the AFC championship game. There are only 4 teams that don’t make the list. Chiefs, Patriots, Titans and Bills. Only 25% of the AFC has had some level of this measurement.

My point is at least we aren’t alone as because of the Patriots the AFC has been the hardest place to win recently.

I didn’t look at the NFC closely because I am lazy, but I am sure it’s close for the same. Seahawks, 49ers, and maybe one or two others would be there.
It appears that the league parity is in the lower echelon teams.

Very interested to see how the Pats do without Brady going forward. What do you think?

:coffee:
 

TexansBull

Hall of Fame
It appears that the league parity is in the lower echelon teams.

Very interested to see how the Pats do without Brady going forward. What do you think?

:coffee:
I will make bold predictions:

They will never be as good as they were with Brady.

They win some games and lose some games.

They will not with the division unless the other division teams are plagued with injuries, if the pre-injury Cam Newton shows up next year, or Brady suits up next year.

In short - I don’t know, but they will be better than us but not win the division next year. And not as good as they once were.
 

cuppacoffee

Resident Grouch
I will make bold predictions:

They will never be as good as they were with Brady.

They win some games and lose some games.

They will not with the division unless the other division teams are plagued with injuries, if the pre-injury Cam Newton shows up next year, or Brady suits up next year.

In short - I don’t know, but they will be better than us but not win the division next year. And not as good as they once were.

That run with Brady at the helm was most likely a once in a lifetime record.

We'll find out now how much BB contributed to their success. Maybe he isn't the GOAT.

Lombardi, Landry, Walsh couple of Steeler coaches should also be in that discussion. We shall see.

:coffee:
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
That run with Brady at the helm was most likely a once in a lifetime record.

We'll find out now how much BB contributed to their success. Maybe he isn't the GOAT.

Lombardi, Landry, Walsh couple of Steeler coaches should also be in that discussion. We shall see.

:coffee:
I remember being most impressed by Belichick led teams taking away what opposing teams do best & make them play in the most uncomfortable way they can.
 

cuppacoffee

Resident Grouch
I remember being most impressed by Belichick led teams taking away what opposing teams do best & make them play in the most uncomfortable way they can.
I am in no way denying that he is a great coach. Need to see him now without Brady before crowning him GOAT that's all I'm saying.

Kinda straying here. To get back on topic, I believe Caserio will straighten things out pretty quickly.

I can't forecast a W / L record, but I think we will like what we see on the field.

:coffee:
 
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TexansBull

Hall of Fame
That run with Brady at the helm was most likely a once in a lifetime record.

We'll find out now how much BB contributed to their success. Maybe he isn't the GOAT.

Lombardi, Landry, Walsh couple of Steeler coaches should also be in that discussion. We shall see.

:coffee:
It can be argued that Belicheck made Brady into a Super Bowl Qb. But Brady made Belicheck into a multiple, most winningest Super Bowl head coach and should get credit for making that team a dynasty. And the Seahawks for throwing it instead of running Marshawn Lynch. And Atlanta for an epic Super Bowl collapse. And the ref who called the forward pass in the Raiders game...
 

TexansBull

Hall of Fame
Kinda straying here. To get back on topic, I believe Caserio will straighten things out pretty quickly.

:coffee:
I think the mods she be a little loose with off the topic stuff. All we know this point is we have a new roster with players we hardly know, a new head coach we don’t know much more about, and a new GM we know a little more than the others. The only thing we do know and have talked to death is Watson has worn the Texans jersey for the last time.

Cut us some slack.
 

cuppacoffee

Resident Grouch
I think the mods she be a little loose with off the topic stuff. All we know this point is we have a new roster with players we hardly know, a new head coach we don’t know much more about, and a new GM we know a little more than the others. The only thing we do know and have talked to death is Watson has worn the Texans jersey for the last time.

Cut us some slack.
It was self criticism.

:coffee:
 

Mr teX

Hall of Fame
I am in no way denying that he is a great coach. Need to see him now without Brady before crowning him GOAT that's all I'm saying.

Kinda straying here. To get back on topic, I believe Caserio will straighten things out pretty quickly.

I can't forecast a W / L record, but I think we will like what we see on the field.

:coffee:
At least 3-4 of their SB are directly b/c of Belichick and His defenses. shut down some of the most prolific offenses the league has ever seen.

Greatest show on turf in the SB against Belichick in 2001...they only scored 17 pts.

the times his defenses shut down Peyton Manning and his prolific offenses in the playoffs? 14 pts 1 year and only 3 pts the other year.

That Rams team a few years ago with Gurley and co. Clicking on all cylinders? Only 3 pts in the SB.

All those teams averaged 30 ppg in the regular season and pretty much steamrolled everyone they faced in the playoffs until they faced Belichick and the Pats. For those 3-4 runs Brady and the offense wasn’t really killing it either and without his defenses holding those offenses in check, Brady’s/Vinatieri’s heroics may not have even mattered.
 

Texansphan

Football connoisseur
Not all of Caserio's moves have made perfect sense, but I do like the fact he is doing his homework and not sitting on his hands.
While the recruiting action has slowed down dramatically, he still has plenty of options even after the draft.
Once teams have to start paring down their rosters, especially to get to 53, there will be some decent players become available.
I like to think of it this way - if you can pick up some of the best ones from the strongest teams, some of these will likely be better than the weakest members on ours.
Now we just have to hope he can find some cap space - perhaps this Watson debacle will yield some relief.
 

zshawn10

All Pro
Nick Caserio on Deshaun Watson: 'I really don't have any comment. I know Cal and ownership put a letterout on the organizational stance. I don't have anything to add. It's a legal process. The focus is on theoffseason program and getting ready for the draft'

Nick Caserio: 'We're respectful of the legal process'

Nick Caserio on Deshaun Watson scenarios: 'We're not going to get into a lot of hypotheticals and speculation. If you want to speculate, you should probably go buy bitcoin and speculate on that.'

Nick Caserio on trade scenarios: 'Part of our draft preparation is to look at different scenarios. The most important thing is to be prepared to pick when you're scheduled to pick. There's no set formula. It's very player specific and player driven.' Texans' first pick is Rd 3

Nick Caserio: 'The most important thing for us is to do what's best for the Houston Texans and that's what we're going to do.'

Nick Caserio on not picking until 3rd round: 'The most important thing is to evaluate the players. It's not that difficult. We've done a lot of work, we've done a lot of research. James Liipfert and the area scouts, we've done a lot of work.'

Nick Caserio on QB situation: '(Tyrod Taylor) has some experience with members of our staff (David Culle, Pep Hamilton) Notes that team needed to add to position regardless since Deshaun Watson was only quarterback under contract

Nick Caserio: 'I was blessed to have the opportunity to come to Houston. We're excited to be here. Everybody has challenges. There are a lot bigger challenges in society. You're going to face difficult situations. How you deal with those situations is the most important things'

Nick Caserio: 'The past three or four months have been refreshing, invigorating. We try to put the best team together possible. Life is full of challenges and how you handle it is what matters.'

Nick Caserio on personnel department: 'I have a lot of confidence in that group. It's a good group, good hard-working group. They're smart.' Notes his background with director of college scouting James Liipfert with New England Patriots

Nick Caserio on his roster moves: 'What we've tried to do is create as much competition as possible on the team. Our focus is not position specific. Just try to bring as many good players in the building, let the competition take care of itself.'

Nick Caserio on his roster moves: 'What we've tried to do is create as much competition as possible on the team. Our focus is not position specific. Just try to bring as many good players in the building, let the competition take care of itself.'

Nick Caserio: 'There's physical attributes important to the position' In terms of intangibles, looks for consistency, willingness to be coached, ability to absorb information. Notes Julian Edelman's mindset toward self-improvement as a good example to point toward
 
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