The 2022 NFL draft represented the first real chance for general manager Nick Caserio to fix the Houston Texans.
With the most selections entering the draft with 13, including twin first-round picks, six picks in the top-110, the Texans had an opportunity to add starter-quality talent to their roster that would develop over the next four seasons.
With great optimism also comes pressure to not spoil it, but Caserio said there was no additional pressure to get the picks right.
“The draft grades are meaningless,” Caserio said. “Whatever the draft grades are tomorrow, this team got an A, this guy got a B, based on what? Through what lens? These guys haven’t played one snap of football.”
Part of the reason why Caserio said there was no extra pressure regarding the draft is because a sense of urgency is prevalent on a daily basis at NRG Stadium, no matter what stage of the offseason or team-building process.
“Urgency is there every day,” said Caserio. “As we build the team, urgency to get good players on the team, whether it’s a guy that we draft, a guy that we work out as a free agent, a guy we sign as a free agent, a guy we trade for. There’s urgency every day. There’s urgency in the NFL.
“I would say there’s no additional pressure to hit on our picks. I don’t know what that means.”
Caserio also noted that while a team may select a player, in the end, the player has the ultimate say on whether he is a hit or miss for the organization.
Said Caserio: “Ultimately, the player’s performance will dictate whether or not he is a good player, he is not a good player. If it doesn’t work out, okay, we’ll move on from that player and go find somebody else. That’s our job. That mindset and that thought process is going to permeate our building for as long as I’m in charge.”
The average grade among media outlets is that the Texans earned a B-plus grade for their 2022 class. If the picks manifest into All-Pros, Pro Bowlers, and starters, then it will be the basis for a competitive roster in the near future.