Tag: Texans front office

Texans QB Deshaun Watson latest tweet: ‘I was on 2 then I took it to 10’

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson posted another cryptic tweet stating he, “was on 2” and then “took it to 10.” What could it mean?

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has released another cryptic tweet.

On Friday, the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback posted on Twitter, “I was on 2 then I took it to 10.”

The numbers are related to a recent report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter wherein the former 2017 first-round pick had the anger level of two, on a scale of one to 10, relating to the trade of three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Due to the hiring of Nick Caserio, the ambiguity as to the role of Jack Easterby, and, at the time, not giving consideration to Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy as a coaching candidate, Watson’s anger with the organization was now at a 10.

Why would Watson state he “was on two” and then “took it to 10”?

Theories abound, but the timing of the tweet comes after the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain interviewing Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair. In the interview, McNair clarified that Easterby, who served as interim general manager following the firing of Bill O’Brien on Oct. 5, 2020, would revert back to his role as executive vice president of football operations.

McNair, who acknowledged that he had been texting with Watson, stated they wanted their star quarterback to have input in the hiring process.

“We want him in the loop and part of this process,” McNair said.

If Watson’s anger level is indeed at a 10 out of 10, it will take plenty of communication and collaboration to get their key piece to victory back in the fold.

Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair calls the scrutiny on Jack Easterby ‘unjustified’

Houston Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair says the criticism of Jack Easterby, executive vice president of football operations, is ‘unjustified.’

Cal McNair has read all of the articles and mean tweets about Jack Easterby.

The Houston Texans’ chairman and CEO doesn’t believe that the criticism that his executive vice president of football operations has undergone is equitable proportionate to his overall job performance.

McNair spoke with the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain and said that Easterby had adequately performed the job of interim general manager following the firing of Bill O’Brien on Oct. 5.

“The scrutiny on Jack is really unjustified,” McNair said. “Jack was put into that role the organization needed by me. If missteps were made during that process, we’ll own those within our building. Jack will (return) to the role he was brought here for and what he grew into after he got here.”

With the hiring of Nick Caserio as general manager, it means that Easterby will return to his role as executive vice president of football operations.

McNair also revealed in the interview that there are no plans to fire Easterby, nor are there any indications that Easterby would be leaving the organization.

Though Easterby and Caserio were friends when the two worked together with the New England Patriots from 2013-18, when Easterby was a character coach and Caserio director of player personnel, McNair stated Caserio would be in charge of everything relating to football as the team’s new general manager.

Said McNair: “Nick is in charge of all football personnel, contract negotiations — all those things the GM has for roster building. That’s what Nick is really good at, and he’s been good at it for a long time. Jack will oversee (other) football operations.”

The Texans have had a somewhat dysfunctional start to their offseason coming off of a 4-12 season. To get over the disappointing 2020 season, the Texans will have to open lines of communication and get on the same page, which means bringing quarterback Deshaun Watson back into the fold.

Texans chairman Cal McNair must choose either Jack Easterby or Deshaun Watson

Houston Texans chairman Cal McNair may have to choose between Deshaun Watson and Jack Easterby. McNair has chosen wisely once, but must do it again.

In the 2020 offseason, after the Houston Texans’ bizarre opening to the new league year that saw the trading of DeAndre Hopkins, chairman and CEO Cal McNair was at the beginning of a path that would lead to him choosing either coach and general manager Bill O’Brien or franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson.

In September, just before the start of the regular season, the Texans inked Watson to a four-year, $177.5 million extension that keeps the former 2017 first-round pick under contract through the 2025 season. The Texans also fired O’Brien on Oct. 5, 2020. McNair made the choice; he picked Watson.

McNair is going to have to make another choice, and it may come sooner than most may think: he will have to pick either Watson or Jack Easterby, executive vice president of football operations.

As has been documented, a franchise quarterback is the most valuable asset in the NFL. It is a quarterback’s game; not a front office macher’s game. The competition committee over the past 20 years hasn’t made the game more advantageous for football operations personnel; they have made it more favorable for quarterbacks. Since 2007, all of the NFL MVPs have been quarterbacks, save for 2012 when Adrian Peterson won the award. However, the living legend at running back couldn’t carry the quarterback-less Minnesota Vikings out of the wild-card round that season.

It can be argued that coaches and front offices put successful systems in place that transcend the play of the quarterback. It was a myth that the Texans believed for the first three seasons of the O’Brien era before investing draft capital to take Watson in 2017. Even the New England Patriots, who have one of the greatest coaches of all-time in Bill Belichick, couldn’t get into the expanded playoffs without competency under center. Who do you think the Patriots miss more: Easterby or Tom Brady?

If Easterby is the impediment that keeps the Texans from winning, he needs to go. If Watson is deemed not a culture fit, then he needs to go for his own sake — or the Texans need to change the culture around him.

“These guys that are quarterbacks are the face of your franchise,” Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman told Dallas-Fort Worth’s 105.3 “The Fan” [KRLD-FM] on Dec. 30, 2020. “They’re the CEOs of your franchise. They have to be the ones who really establish the culture and the accountability within the football team. And if you don’t have the right guy in that role, then I think you’re really going to struggle as an organization.”

The Texans already have the CEO that matters in Watson. The offseason focus should be building a winner around him.

Andre Johnson says ‘nothing good has happened’ since Texans hired Jack Easterby

Houston Texans Ring of Honor member Andre Johnson says that nothing good has been wrought from hiring Jack Easterby.

Andre Johnson does not like the state of affairs with the Houston Texans.

The former 2003 first-round pick and inaugural Texans Ring of Honor member spat fire about the organization on Twitter. Johnson covered a range of issues from advising quarterback Deshaun Watson to stand his ground to expostulating about executive vice president of football operations Jack Easterby.

“If I’m @deshaunwatson I will stand my ground,” Johnson tweeted Tuesday. “The Texans organization is known for wasting players careers. Since Jack Easterby has walk into the building nothing good has happened in/for the organization and for some reason someone can’t seem to see what’s going on. Pathetic!!!”

Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair indicated that, although Easterby, who served as interim general manager following the firing of Bill O’Brien on Oct. 5, 2020, would revert back to football operations following his stint as interim general manager, they were still working on what Easterby’s job would be going forward.

“Jack is very gifted in a lot of different areas, and those areas would be things that [general manager] Nick (Caserio) will need as he moves into his role as GM,” McNair told reporters on Jan. 8 at Caserio’s introductory press conference. “It won’t be roster. It won’t be free agency. Like I said before, those are the GM jobs that Nick is doing, and he will look to Jack to do some of these other things that Jack has done really well in the past.”

Johnson was a member of the Texans organization until August of 2020. The three-time All-Pro was a special adviser to the general manager, coach, and scouting department in 2019. Johnson still remains with the Texans as a team ambassador, appearing at various community outreach events. If anyone has any insight into the Texans’ inner workings, it would be Johnson.

Easterby was initially hired as executive vice president of team development in April of 2019.

Why is Jack Easterby still with the Texans?

Jack Easterby was in some ways a Bill O’Brien hire. After the coach’s firing from the Houston Texans, why did Easterby stick around?

Jack Easterby and Bill O’Brien were two peas in a pod.

When Houston Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair decided to double up O’Brien as coach and general manager following the 2019 season, Easterby similarly was promoted from executive vice president of team development to executive vice president of football operations.

On Oct. 5, 2020, O’Brien was fired after an 0-4 start. However, not only did Easterby stick around, but he took over as the interim general manager.

“That wasn’t something Jack pushed for or wanted,” McNair told reporters on Jan. 8. “It was something I needed, and, so, I’m really grateful that he did that. He took a lot of heat for it. He did.”

Easterby took over in what McNair said were “administrative type tasks.” Although Easterby was a name to fill in for contacts sent to the league offices, the Texans did listen to offers to trade outside linebacker Jacob Martin and receiver Will Fuller. The Texans also traded defensive takle Eli Ankou to the Dallas Cowboys.

With Nick Caserio hired as general manager, McNair indicated Easterby would stick around with the Texans.

“Jack was there for a few months, did the job he was asked, and now he’s ready to step back into some of his earlier roles,” said McNair. “Nick will step in here, be the GM. Nick has got the roster, the draft, the free agency. Nick will be supported by me. I will do everything I can to help Nick succeed. I want Nick to succeed here.

“Jack will do whatever Nick asks him to do to succeed. So we’ll all work together like I had mentioned, being collaborative, cooperative, and get this thing going exactly where we want it.”

Easterby’s original role before the firing of O’Brien was as executive vice president of football operations. Even reverting back to that role indicates he will have input on the roster, even if the buck stops with Caserio.

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How long is Romeo Crennel still under contract with the Texans?

Houston Texans interim coach Romeo Crennel is still technically the lead guy on the sidelines, at least until February.

New general manager Nick Caserio doesn’t need to be in a rush to find a new coach for the Houston Texans: he already has one.

Interim coach Romeo Crennel told reporters on Jan. 4 that he is still under contract with the team through February.

“My contract is up and I think it’s a February one or February 15th date, I’m not exactly sure,” Crennel said. “I’ve had no discussions at this point beyond that fact. The other coaches, most of the young coaches, their contracts are up. I don’t know what date is on those contracts but the team can control them for two weeks.”

The assistant coaches fall under a different criteria, which is why Caserio was visiting with a number of them last week, including offensive coordinator Tim Kelly.

“I think January 12th is the date that the team has the option of retaining them or denying permission for them to talk to people,” said Crennel. “Then, after that they become free agents and they can talk to whoever they want to talk to. I know that time is a factor. Jobs availability, that’s a factor. If the club decides if they want to keep a guy until the 12th, then they will be able to keep him until the 12th. After the 12th, he will be able to go talk to anybody he wants to about a job availability. That’s what those young guys are looking at. If coaches have time remaining on their contracts, then the team can control who they are allowed to talk to and when they are allowed to talk.”

According to Crennel, sometimes teams will tell assistant coaches to interview with the new coach to see if there is a fit.

Said Crennel: “In my experience, most teams will tell coaches, ‘we would like for you to interview with the new staff of the new coach to see if they might want to keep you. Then, if he does not want to keep you, they will give you permission after that point to talk.’ In my estimation that’s somewhat of a detriment to the coach because he could potentially be getting a job, and the new guy hasn’t been named yet and the team wants to hold assistants until they can talk to the new guy.”

The Texans have cleared the first hurdle and signed Caserio as their general manager. Now, they have to determine who will replace Crennel, who is sticking around for now.

What does Texans QB Deshaun Watson think of Jack Easterby?

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson shared his thoughts on what he thinks of Jack Easterby on Nov. 4, 2020.

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is clearly upset with the organization.

Houston sports fans have been upset with Texans executive vice president of football operations Jack Easterby throughout the 2020 calendar year.

Put the two angry camps together, and there is speculation part of Watson’s problems with the organization are because of Easterby.

On Nov. 4, 2020, when the Texans were 1-6, coming off their bye week, and preparing for their rematch with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Watson fielded a question in his media availability about Easterby.

“We’re still in the process of getting to know each other,” Watson said. “I know last year he just got here so he was kind of behind the scenes and I see him here and there. Not too much communication, but it was just trying to figure out his position and his place in the organization. Then of course here with the locker room with so many changes, it’s hard to kind of spend a lot of time. Of course, this year, of course COVID hit, so a lot of phone calls during the negotiation and things like that. But my agent dealt with that.”

Watson indicated that he didn’t have a chance to get to know Easterby until the regular season got started. Easterby took over as interim general manager when Bill O’Brien was fired on Oct. 5, 2020.

“During the season we’ve just kind of been growing, talking, communication,” said Watson. “He’s a man of God who cares about this organization, these players. He cares about players in that locker room to be the best of their ability and get whatever they can out of their careers. Having that good positive energy and spirit around the locker room is definitely good.”

There is dark energy and negativity about the organization, and it starts with Watson. The Texans have to figure out how to bring their franchise quarterback back into the fold.

Report: Texans QB Deshaun Watson’s anger level ‘at a 10’ over Nick Caserio hiring

The Houston Texans’ first big problem to deal with this offseason is cooling the anger of their franchise quarterback, Deshaun Watson.

The Houston Texans’ first task of the offseason is to settle down quarterback Deshaun Watson.

According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the three-time Pro Bowler is so angry at the organization that it is five times worse than what he felt after the trading of DeAndre Hopkins in March of 2020.

Watson is said to be furious over the decision, and others are as well, with some saying that there will be employees who wind up leaving the organization during the offseason.

Watson is on vacation, and McNair said he expects to speak with the quarterback once he returns. But how that will go, if it happens, remains uncertain. Some around the league believe that Watson could opt to withhold his services this season. Watson has not commented on that option, but others insist it will be in play.

One person who knows Watson said this week that, after the Texans traded Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins last offseason, the quarterback’s anger level was “a 2. … This time, it’s a 10.”

If Houston is unable to quell Watson’s wrath, they will have to explore some options, especially since his contract has a no-trade clause.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick says Texans’ Nick Caserio ‘deserving’ to be a general manager

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick says that the Houston Texans’ Nick Caserio is very deserving to be an NFL general manager.

Bill Belichick is straightforward and doesn’t sugarcoat things.

The six-time Super Bowl-winning coach released a statement on the Houston Texans’ hiring of former Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio. Belichick was very complimentary of Caserio, who he has worked with since 2001, the beginning of the Patriots’ dynasty.

“Nick Caserio is one of the hardest working, dependable and team-oriented people I have worked with and his ability to handle a wide array of responsibilities is unique,” Belichick said in the statement. “Nick’s contributions came on a daily basis and ultimately led to years of success and six championships, for which I am very appreciative. He did an excellent job for us and is extremely deserving of the opportunity to be a general manager.”

Caserio had been the director of player personnel for New England since 2008. The John Carroll University alumnus takes over as the fifth general manager in Texans history.

What will Texans GM Nick Caserio do with Jack Easterby?

New general manager Nick Caserio provided clarity as to Jack Easterby’s role with the Houston Texans going forward.

Nick Caserio and Jack Easterby have a special relationship.

The two men were both a part of the New England Patriots organization, cogs in the dynasty. Easterby’s role as a character coach was transient from 2013-18 while Caserio was there the whole time in a variety of roles from 2001-20, most recently as the director of player personnel since 2008.

Caserio and Easterby have two Super Bowl rings together from working with coach Bill Belichick and the Kraft family. More importantly, Easterby has helped Caserio outside of football.

“He’s helped me a lot I would say personally,” Caserio said. “We’ve actually dealt with some things on a personal level through the year, but he’s someone that I’ve always leaned on, I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for.”

Caserio clarified that personnel decisions will be made as a group, but also underscored that chairman and CEO Cal McNair entrusted him to make personnel decisions for the Texans.

“Any personnel decisions that will be made we’ll make as a group, but ultimately that’s a responsibility that Cal has instilled in me, is to handle the personnel side of the football operations,” said Caserio. “So, that’s the expectation moving forward.”

Texans fans have been longing for the dismissal of Easterby. However, Houston sports fans may have to come to grips with the reality that Caserio isn’t going to fire his friend.

Said Caserio: “Jack will have a role and we’ll work in conjunction with each other on a number of things for sure. But as it pertains to football decisions, those will ultimately be my decision in conjunction with the head coach once we get to that point, as well.”

In October, McNair told Texans Radio Network play-by-play voice Marc Vandermeer that Easeterby would revert back to his role as executive vice president of football operations after completing his role as interim general manager.