Nick Caserio has a good situation.
Joe Banner from The 33rd Team took time Wednesday to field questions on a conference call, and the former Philadelphia Eagles president commented on the Houston Texans and the direction of the organization with their 1-11-1 record.
“I think you praise that the owner [Cal McNair] is patient because it’s not often you’re sitting at one win 13 games into a second year and there isn’t a conversation about you being replaced, but I don’t hear that conversation,” Banner said. “My sense is he’s secure. So, I think he’s lucky he’s got an owner that is comfortable with the fact he’s not showing significant progress in year two.”
The Texans went 4-13 after hiring former Baltimore Ravens receivers coach and passing game coordinator David Culley as the team’s coach. Houston also had a pedestrian five-man draft class with no pick earlier than Round 3, and the roster was comprised of veterans on short-term deals.
Houston dismissed Culley and went on a month-long coaching search that ended with the promotion of defensive coordinator Lovie Smith. The Texans are 1-11-1 and on pace to have the worst record in 2022.
While the Texans are objectively worse record wise, the play on the field is anything but uninspired, according to Banner.
“I’ve actually been watching them,” Banner said. “I’m amazed at how hard they’re still playing. At this point in this season, it’s really attributed to Lovie Smith that he has this team playing as if they’re a serious contender to make a run at this season. So, if I was making this decision, that would be very important to me. He seems to have a really good rapport with the players.”
Ultimately, talent acquisition and development is the prime objective for Caserio in Banner’s summation.
Said Banner: “I think the first thing Nick has to do is kind of really do a thorough kind of breakdown of what they’ve been doing, what’s working, what’s not working, and why. Because he should have shown more progress from year one to year two. I think that’s more important right now than getting the exact, right coach. He’s got time to get that as he elevates the talent, at least get somebody, you know, a quarterback that gives his team a reasonable chance to move forward.”
Caserio will have two first-round picks — presumably No. 1 overall and a top-15 pick — to work with in the 2023 NFL draft. Being able to pick that early in the first round should give Caserio gravitas that the Texans’ turnaround is nearing completion.
