Nick Caserio is no stranger to the Houston Texans’ practice field.
During organized team activities this spring, Caserio was throwing passes to receivers.
As estranged quarterback Deshaun Watson returned this week from being injured all of last week, Caserio met him on the practice field just before practice and had a quick chat with him.
For a general manager, Caserio is quite visible. In fact, his visibility as a front office boss is more akin to what Dallas Cowboys fans may be accustomed to with owner Jerry Jones, or perhaps Raiders fans during the Al Davis era.
Caserio’s media appearances are also on par with that of Jones, who appears on Dallas radio twice a week during the season. During the first two weeks of training camp, Caserio appeared at least twice a week with Sports Radio 610, albeit KILT-AM is the official home of the Texans.
According to Brian T. Smith, the lead sports columnist at the Houston Chronicle, Caserio was very involved in practice on Wednesday. The first-year general manager was talking with offensive coordinator Tim Kelly and quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Pep Hamilton. At least from Smith’s vantage, Caserio was more active than Culley.
This type of visibility and involvement is not common for general managers.
Part of it could be Caserio’s background as a coach in the New England Patriots organization. In 2002, he was a nebulous offensive assistant before going back to the personnel and scouting side. In 2007, he made his return as the receivers coach. Even after becoming the director of player personnel in 2008 through his 2020 exit, Caserio would appear on the practice field from time to time, throwing passes as he does in Houston. If it didn’t bother Bill Belichick, then certainly there couldn’t be any harm to it.
The reality is Caserio is having to rebuild the culture on Kirby Drive. The Texans have never really graduated from their expansion beginnings. The AFC South titles and wild-card playoff wins are nothing more than bi-decade stimulus victories to keep Houston sports fans pacified.
The McNairs brought in Bill O’Brien off the Belichick coaching tree to sprout the same success in Houston. However, he was merely passing through. Caserio was there for the whole dynasty from 2001-20. No one knows what transmuting a franchise from punching bag to world champ looks like more than Caserio.
It is Caserio’s style. If and when the Texans win again, it will be endearing. If the Texans lose with no promise in sight, it will be grating.
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