The Houston Texans may continue with a “business as usual” approach to their front office, which currently has a general manager vacancy, is ran by a five-man council, and is considerably influenced by coach Bill O’Brien.
According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, the Texans are not planning to hire a general manager, even after the 2019 season is over.
Sources say that the Texans plan to continue this offseason and beyond with their current personnel structure rather than hire a true general manager in title. Coach Bill O’Brien has final say, though he essentially works with the team’s executive vice president of team development Jack Easterby to be in charge of football operations.
The Texans have some of the other general manager duties split up between Easterby, player personnel director Matt Bazirgan, and vice president of football administration Chris Olsen, who is technically the interim general manager, and currently manages the team’s salary cap situation.
The council of general managing has worked well for Houston to this point as they boast a 7-4 record, first place in the AFC South, and have done so with bold trades to shore up key positions. The trade for left tackle Laremy Tunsil on Aug. 31 may have been a season saver as the club did not have any viable option to protect Deshaun Watson’s blindside other than oft-injured veteran Matt Kalil and first-round rookie Tytus Howard, who is now on injured reserve.
Houston also traded for running back Carlos Hyde, who has been a great replacement for starter Lamar Miller, who went down in the third preseason game with a torn ACL.
The Texans have also gotten younger at the cornerback position by trading for Gareon Conley with the Oakland Raiders prior to their Week 8 encounter, and also adding Vernon Hargreaves leading up to Week 11 at Baltimore.
Houston fired Brian Gaine as general manager on June 7, days before the club opened mandatory minicamp.