Nick Caserio, Jack Easterby Share Agent
- More from Breer (Twitter link), who notes that Texans figure Jack Easterby and Nick Caserio share an agent, which may make it easy for Houston to refute the Patriots‘ accusations of tampering. The Patriots claim that Easterby spoke with Caserio about the GM role at the Patriots’ Super Bowl ring ceremony last Thursday, which came hours before the dismissal of Brian Gaine. However, it could be hard for the Patriots to come up with concrete evidence of tampering since the two are former co-workers and share the same representation.
Latest On Texans, Patriots Exec Nick Caserio
The Patriots formally filed tampering charges against the Texans earlier Wednesday, accusing Houston of illegally pursuing director of player personnel Nick Caserio for its general manager vacancy. Here’s what we’ve learned about Caserio and the Texans since:
- The league will look into evidence that Texans vice president of player development Jack Easterby spoke with Caserio about the GM role at the Patriots’ Super Bowl ring ceremony last Thursday, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Easterby, who serves as something of a “character coach,” held a similar title in New England until 2019. The ex-pastor has already earned a large amount of responsibility in Houston, was reportedly an offseason target for several clubs before landing with the Texans, as Michael Lombardi noted on a recent episode of his GM Shuffle podcast.
- Texans head coach Bill O’Brien says neither he nor Easterby has spoken with Caserio about the open general manager position, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “I would say that the answer to that is no relative to contact about anything having to do with the Houston Texans,” O’Brien said. “No.”
- Houston is willing to give Caserio a contract which gives him full control of its 53-man roster, reports John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. However, the Texans and Patriots are likely arguing over whether Caserio is considered a “high level employee,” a designation that would mean New England isn’t required to allow Caserio to depart, even for a perceived promotion, as Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes.
- The Patriots could eventually ask the Texans for draft pick compensation in exchange for Caserio, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). Indeed, Bill Belichick‘s endgame could simply be pressuring Houston into trading a draft selection for Caserio, as Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com speculates (Twitter link).
Patriots Accuse Texans Of Tampering
On Wednesday, the Patriots filed tampering charges against the Texans for their attempted hire of Nick Caserio as their next GM, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The NFL is now expected to gather relevant informant to open its investigation against the Texans.
Soon after the Texans’ surprise firing of GM Brian Gaine, the club was immediately linked to Caserio, the Patriots’ VP of player personnel. Initially, the belief was that the Patriots could not block Gaine from taking the job since it would be a clear elevation in titles and responsibility. But the Patriots, who are intent on keeping Caserio, may have found another way to ward off Houston.
The NFL’s anti-tampering policy states that “any interference by a member club with the employer-employee relationship of another club or any attempt by a club to impermissibly induce a person to seek employment with that club or with the NFL” is impermissible. Reading between the lines, it sounds as though the Patriots believe the Texans engaged in direct talks with Caserio before getting the green light from New England.
The Texans firing of Gaine the night after the Patriots’ ring ceremony set off some alarm bells in New England, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Now, the league office must make a ruling before the Texans proceed with their planned hire of Caserio.
Patriots Want To Keep Nick Caserio
The Texans want to interview Nick Caserio for their GM position, but the Patriots want to keep him, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. For now, things remain in a holding pattern as the Patriots try to figure out how they can hold on to the valuable executive. 
In theory, the Patriots can deny the interview request on the grounds by arguing that the Houston job does not entail sufficient decision-making authority. However, that could be tough to pull off. The Texans seem to want Caserio badly, so one has to imagine that he would wield full authority over all aspects of roster construction. Also, the Texans job would give Caserio the formal GM title, something he lacks in New England.
Bill Belichick has acted as the Patriots’ GM for years, though Caserio holds significant influence in the draft and free agency. Rapoport wonders aloud if this could be a turning point for the Pats in which they give Caserio the official GM title in order to hang on to him.
If the Texans cannot get Caserio in for an interview, Rapoport wouldn’t be surprised if they turn their attention to Monti Ossenfort, who runs college scouting for the Patriots.
Latest On Texans’ GM Search
The Texans have requested permission to interview Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio for their vacant GM job, but as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports, the team has not requested an interview with New England director of college scouting Monti Ossenfort. Houston was interested in speaking with Caserio and Ossenfort in connection with its GM job last year, but as of right now, the club seems to be focusing its efforts on Caserio.
As we learned yesterday, the Patriots can deny the Texans’ request to interview Caserio (or any other exec) if the Houston job does not entail sufficient decision-making authority. And assuming Caserio is interested enough in the Texans’ gig to have an interview, and assuming New England is intent on keeping its present front office intact, the Patriots could argue that the position would not offer such authority. If there is a disagreement between the two clubs, it would be up to commissioner Roger Goodell or his designee to resolve the matter.
The league could either allow Caserio to leave New England if he so chooses, require him to stay, or compel the Texans to compensate the Patriots in some fashion if they elect to hire Caserio. Presumably, we will have word on the Pats’ decision soon, which will add a great deal of clarity to this situation.
The Texans have already interviewed Ray Farmer and plan to interview Martin Mayhew for the GM position. It is unclear who their fallback plan is if they cannot land Caserio.
Texans Notes: Gaine, Caserio, Clowney, Mathieu
Former Texans general manager Brian Gaine‘s firing shouldn’t be attributed to his inability to sign Jadeveon Clowney, writes Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. We heard last week that the former executive had made “zero” progress on an extension for the former number-one pick, and a lack of development may have played a role in his firing.
However, Breer said there wasn’t any organizational disagreement over the handling of Clowney. The team was interested in signing the linebacker on their terms, and they were content opting for the franchise tag. For what it’s worth, we learned earlier today that Clowney is not expected to attend the team’s mandatory minicamp. The three-time Pro Bowler has yet to sign the franchise tender as he continues to push for a multiyear pact.
So what was the main reason for Gaine’s firing? Breer points to a lack of “fit” and “alignment,” as the former general manager didn’t share the same vision as head coach Bill O’Brien. Furthermore, the reporter believes the team’s current pursuit of Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio also played a role in the decision.
Let’s check out some more notes out of Houston, all via Breer…
- Speaking of Caserio, his relationship with O’Brien and executive vice president of team development Jack Easterby could play a role in him leaving New England. There’s been a perception that Caserio wouldn’t leave the Patriots, but the reporter points out that the executive had been closing to leaving before (he considered taking the Dolphins’ gig in 2014). Breer wonders if the Texans could also look to Patriots college scouting director Monti Ossenfort or former Patriots executive (and current Falcons assistant GM) Scott Pioli for the role.
- There also wasn’t an organizational disagreement over the handling of Tyrann Mathieu. The team recognized that the Pro Bowl safety had lofty monetary demands, and they never intended to go as far as the three-year, $42MM deal he received from the Chiefs this offseason. Meanwhile, the coaching staff has been happy with Gaine’s replacement for Mathieu, Tashaun Gipson.
- Following Gaine’s signing of a five-year extension in 2018, the majority of his moves have actually been lauded by the front office and coaching staff. Breer points to the one-year deal for Mathieu, and he also notes the general manager’s ability to add productive rookies (receiver Keke Coutee and safety Justin Reid) in the 2018 draft despite not having a first- or second-rounder. While his inability to add a competent offensive line in front of Deshaun Watson certainly played a role in his firing, Breer opines that the forced trade of Duane Brown wasn’t the GM’s decision.
- The Texans coaching staff has been happy with second-round offensive tackle Max Scharping and third-round tight end Kahale Warring. They’re also a “big fan” of first-rounder Tytus Howard. However, many pundits believe the Howard selection was a bit of a reach, and Breer wonders if O’Brien and Easterby’s Patriots’ philosophy clashed with Gaine’s eventual decision (as the two would have preferred trading back).
Jadeveon Clowney Not Expected To Attend Minicamp
No surprises here, but Texans edge defender Jadeveon Clowney is not expected to attend the team’s mandatory minicamp, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). Minicamp opens tomorrow.
Houston has put the franchise tag, valued at $17.1MM, on Clowney, but Clowney has yet to sign the franchise tender as he continues to push for a multiyear pact. The deadline for the two sides to come to terms on such a deal is July 15.
If and when Clowney gets his contract, it will be a doozy. Given the premium that teams are now paying for edge rushing talent, and given that Clowney is also a force to be reckoned with in the run game, he may well end up making over $22MM per season with $50MM or more guaranteed at signing,
It’s unclear whether the Texans are still actively shopping Clowney, but the fact that the team is currently without a GM is doubtlessly delaying a resolution. But it sounds as though former GM Brian Gaine wasn’t exactly making much progress on a new deal for Clowney, which may have been a contributing factor in Gaine’s ouster.
The Texans have targeted Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio to replace Caserio, but regardless of whom they hire, the first order of business for the new top exec will be addressing the Clowney situation.
Texans Request Permission To Interview Nick Caserio
The Texans have requested permission to interview Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio for their vacant GM job, as Mark Berman of Fox 26 KRIV tweets. As has been reported previously, Berman confirms that Caserio is Houston’s top choice.
Houston was in the hunt for a new GM in early 2018 as well, but New England denied the Texans’ request to interview Caserio. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes, in order to hire away an executive under contract with a rival club, the hiring 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.” And, even if the hiring team offers those responsibilities, the incumbent club can still block the interview if its season has not yet ended.
It sounds as though the Texans are prepared to offer Caserio full GM responsibilities rather than make him a “GM Light” who would cede significant power to head coach Bill O’Brien. As Albert Breer of TheMMQB tweets, New England was able to prevent Caserio and director of college scouting Monti Ossenfort from interviewing for the Texans’ GM job last year only because the Pats’ season hadn’t ended yet. This time around, though, the Patriots cannot prevent their executives from hearing Houston’s pitch.
That is, of course, if they are even interested. It would be difficult for an exec to leave the friendly confines of Foxborough for uncharted waters elsewhere, and the quick and unexpected firing of former Houston GM Brian Gaine would certainly be cause for concern. On the other hand, the Texans do have a roster that looks capable of immediate contention, and with a young and promising QB in Deshaun Watson, a first-time GM could certainly do worse than land with Houston.
The Texans have already interviewed Ray Farmer and plan to interview Martin Mayhew. One name that is not on the agenda as of yet is Cowboys VP of player personnel Will McClay, as Calvin Watkins of The Athletic reports (via Twitter). Watkins expects Houston to reach out to McClay, but he does not expect McClay to leave his current position.
Texans To Interview Former Lions GM Martin Mayhew
Just minutes after our latest update on the Texans’ GM search, we have another one. Former Lions GM Martin Mayhew is in Houston to interview with the Texans, sources told Peter Schrager of Foxsports.com (Twitter link).
Mayhew is the second known candidate to get an interview, after former Browns GM Ray Farmer. We just heard in our most recent update that Patriots exec Nick Caserio is the “leading candidate,” but the Texans might have trouble getting to him considering New England denied their interview request last time around. Mayhew currently holds the position of Vice President of Player Personnel with the 49ers.
Mayhew ascended to the top role in Detroit’s front office in 2008 after the firing of Matt Millen. He managed to hold onto the job until midway through the 2015 season, when he was canned after a 1-7 start. He then latched on with the Giants for a year, before joining the new regime in San Francisco in 2017.
Mayhew also spent about a decade in the league as a player, playing for the Redskins and Buccaneers from 1988-1996. Mayhew has done well in San Francisco, as they just promoted him to his current post back in January. This isn’t his first time drawing interest for a lead job recently, as he also interviewed for the Panthers’ vacancy last offseason.
The Texans are clearly casting a wide net, showing interest in guys with prior general manager experience as well as young up and comers. Despite being around for a while, Mayhew is still only 53. As we heard earlier, the Texans hiring someone from the Patriots’ tree who has familiarity with Bill O’Brien would be a good sign of O’Brien’s power, while them hiring an outsider could mean he’ll be on the hot seat himself.
Latest On Texans’ GM Search, Nick Caserio The Favorite?
The Texans’ GM search is starting to heat up. John McClain of the Houston Chronicle brings us a lengthy list of possible candidates that includes Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio, Patriots director of college scouting Monti Ossenfort, former Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie, and former Chiefs GM Scott Pioli.
That’s in addition to former Browns GM Ray Farmer, who will apparently be the first to interview with the team. But just because Farmer is up first doesn’t mean he’s the top option. Caserio is “believed to be the leading candidate” for the job, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (Twitter link).
As soon as the Texans fired Brian Gaine, we heard rumblings that they would again pursue Caserio in their search. When the Texans were looking to fill their GM vacancy last offseason they requested to interview both Caserio and Ossenfort, but were denied by the Patriots. It’s unclear what would’ve changed, but people seem to think they’d have a good shot at them this time around.
Further, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com examines what the situation will look like after a GM is hired. As he points out, this will go one of two ways. Either the Texans will hire another Bill O’Brien guy like they did last time, or they’ll hire an outside candidate with no connection to O’Brien, which means they could be looking for a new head coach after the season as well.
We heard on Friday that Texans exec Jack Easterby, who was recently appointed to a prominent position, will be playing a large role in the search. It was reported that Easterby is close friends with Caserio, so this latest development makes a lot of sense. The other names we’ve already seen mentioned, but this is the first we’ve heard of McKenzie as a potential candidate. After losing a power struggle with Jon Gruden in Oakland, McKenzie recently signed on with the Dolphins’ front office.
It’ll be interesting to see whether they let O’Brien run the hiring process, and that will go a long way toward showing us whether O’Brien is on the hot seat entering 2019. Caserio is apparently close with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, and his presence is what has convinced McDaniels to stay in New England in the past, so many have speculated they’ll be paired together as an eventual coach/GM combo if Caserio ever leaves the Pats.