The Texans brass is spending the week in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine. Earlier in the week, we heard from Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans.
On Wednesday, general manager Nick Caserio spoke with reporters for nearly 15 minutes. He talked about the value he gets from the combine, managing the salary cap and deciding which players to pursue, C.J. Stroud's offseason, the makeup of the offensive line and more.
Here is a transcript of what the GM had to say:
On some learning points from the Eagles
"Yeah, a lot of respect for the Eagles organization. Howie [Roseman] has done a really good job of putting the team together. They've taken advantage of some opportunities in different ways. They've traded for players, they've signed players in free agency, they've drafted well. I think the big thing is just every step of the way, just trying to take advantage of your opportunity from a team building perspective. There is no one size fits all formula. They got good play from a number of different players, they executed in critical situations. I mean you were there, they were 2-2 and the world was ending, so it just goes to show you that it's a long season. The margins in this league are very small, but if you kind of just keep pressing forward, the teams that are most consistent through the course of the season put themselves in position to have at least have an opportunity at the end and they finished this season off very well.
"Credit to them, they have a lot of really good players. We feel like we have a decent team and put ourselves in position each year, last season as well. I was talking to one of our local guys and I mean other than the Minnesota and Baltimore game, we really had an opportunity to win each game, so what does that tell you? It tells you that we've done enough things, we just have to finish games and execute a little bit more consistently. If you just keep putting yourself in that position and keep knocking down the door then eventually it's going to cave in. It was fun to watch. The postseason is always fun to watch. There is a reason those teams are still playing and we've been fortunate to still be playing here the last couple years. We've been in the last eight the last two years, so what's the next step? I mean, I don't know, it's just about trying to put together a good team. Once the season starts, it's just about being consistent over the course of a long period of time. We're trying to build a consistent program and be a consistent winner. We've got one of the best head coaches in the league. We've got one of the best quarterbacks in the league. We feel like we have some really good young players, so just try to continue to build and take advantage of our opportunities and be smart about it."
On working the salary cap
"Yeah, I mean everyone can massage the salary cap and do what you will. At some point, I mean I'm not a math major but accounting everything comes due at some point. It's like our government. I know we've got a 40 trillion-dollar deficit, but at some point, we're probably going to have to pay for that. You can push everything out as long as you want to, but we look at the team building kind of in a two-year window. Alright 2025-26, where are we and what can we do? It doesn't mean that if we don't win enough games in that two years then we're going to blow everything up, so just try to be strategic and make good smart decisions along the way.
"You have to understand that you're going to draft, you're going to have young players. OK, so you're going to keep young players, so other players are going to have to roll off, so what's that balance. That's kind of the game that everyone is playing, so Howie has found a way to create some mechanics of pushing – I'm just kidding, I have a lot of respect for him. They've got a good team, but look you're going to be able to keep players but by the same token, you're going to lose players. You can't keep everybody, so that's where you're scouting your process. I think [Zach] Baun is a phenomenal example and Baun is a great player. Signed a one year, 3.5-million-dollar deal. His career was what it was. The guy was an all-pro player and now he is going to capitalize.
"That's good management, that's good scouting and that's good coaching. They put him in position and he was one of their best players. Credit to Zach, he took advantage of his opportunities. That's all a player can do, give him an opportunity to put himself in position. I would say [Blake] Cashman for those of you that followed our team over the last few years. Cashman was the same way. We brought Blake over and gave up a sixth or seventh round pick, whatever it was. Had a really good year and capitalized on free agency. Had a big impact on the Vikings. We got good production from Henry [To'oTo'o], signed Azeez [Al-Shaair], Christian [Harris] was out and hopefully we get Christian back. It's a cat and mouse game. You have to bob and weave, and you have to be flexible and you have to be adaptable, so that's what we're going to try to do."
On how they determine which players to extend based on cap space
"Yeah, there's always different ways you can do it. I mean, you can release players, you can restructure players, you can sign extensions. So, we'll entertain all and everything. So, we're not going to be fixated on one particular thing.
"But you want to be strategic, you want to be smart about how you do it. So, try to keep as many good players as you can. Where's the opportunity there on a margin and then just try to make good, smart decisions."
On what Year 3 of this process with Head Coach DeMeco Ryans is like
"Yeah, it's like Year 1. I mean, it's been phenomenal from the beginning. I've been asked about DeMeco countless times and I feel the same way. I love the guy personally and professionally. His consistency on a day-to-day basis, his message, how he handles the team, it resonates and – look, he's one of the best head coaches in the league. I don't think anybody would argue that, so we're very fortunate to have him in the position that he's in. I enjoy our relationship. We enjoy each other's relationship.
"My role and job is to support him in any way possible. So that's my fiduciary responsibility to him and I'll go to war with this guy. So, whatever he needs, whatever he thinks we need to do, we talk about it, we have good conversations, we view football through the same lens. A lot of times I'm talking, he's thinking, he's talking, I'm thinking, so we see it through the same kind of – I mean he's old school in a lot of ways. But he has a very personal touch and the players respect the hell out of him and he's so consistent and when you walk in the building, you feel his energy, you feel his juice. And there's a reason why players want to come to Houston. It's to play for DeMeco and it's to play with the players that are in the locker room. I try to get the hell out of the way and just try to be a good resource for DeMeco as much as I can."
On if he is seeing more players be NFL-ready with the current format of college football
"It's a great question. It's case by case. I would see you've kind of seen the players that have played a lot of football. You're looking at – you go through the play history and some of players started 40 games, 50 games. You get better at football by playing football. It doesn't mean if you're an underclassman, you've played less games doesn't mean you can't be successful. I'd say [WR] Nico Collins is a good example on our case where basically he played two years of college football, missed his third year, had some traits that we liked and I'd say he worked and to put himself in the position that he's in.
"So, I think we're cognizant of the landscape of college football. It doesn't necessarily change our calculus, change about how we go about evaluating players, but when you see them play, you just want to see them play football and sometimes they're a little bit more physically and mentally ready. Some players are further along, some players might be behind. It doesn't mean they can't catch up. That's part of our job and responsibility to create an infrastructure for the players so when they come here, what are the things they need to be successful? And then that's part of the job of a coaching staff as well. Is to put the players in the position to go out there and be successful. So, it's definitely evolving. We're certainly aware and cognizant of it. But it doesn't necessarily shifted how we view players."
On if he thinks the QB sneak play should be banned
"I think everybody probably has an opinion on it. I think what I would say, and DeMeco and I have talked about this, you don't want to necessarily penalize a team that's done something very well. It's credit to [Eagles Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line] Coach [Jeff] Stoutland and [Eagles Head] Coach [Nick] Sirianni, for that's a play that's been effective for them. They've got a good quarterback whose got good lower body strength. I mean not every quarterback can squat 600, 700 pounds. So, the techniques that they utilize. So, again, just because you can't stop the play, I mean is that something that you have to take out of the game? I think you've got to be careful about just totally ridding the game of it. I would say I'm sure the league will talk about player health and safety, does it put the players at risk?
"It's a well-executed play by the Eagles and they've had success doing it. No one's been able to stop it. So, honestly, at some point, the onus is on figure out a way and if you can't – and the way they implement it, they're one of the few teams, they're about the only team, that handles it the way that they do. So, the sneak play in it of itself, there's a lot of dynamics that are involved. Some quarterbacks want to be in the fray, some quarterbacks don't. You look at Buffalo, [Bills QB] Josh [Allen] is 6'5" 250 pounds, so, I mean, he reaches his hand out there, he's got a first down. So, every team's got to handle it a little bit differently. So, I would just say to penalize a team because they do something well, it's probably something we just need to think about as a league."
On the work QB C.J. Stroud will have to do this offseason
"Yeah, C.J. is a good player. He has to continue to improve. There's things that he's going to work on in the offseason. But the offseason opportunity for every player to improve their individual performance and get themselves ready for the season in front of them. So, C.J.'s done a lot of great things on a yearly basis. His first year, he did a lot of really good things last year as well. I think sometimes, that kind of gets lost in the shuffle there a little bit.
"So, alright, what happened last season? What can we learn from it as a team? What can he learn from it individually? OK, in the offseason, here are the things that I'm going to focus on to try to make myself a better football. You get better at football by working, practicing, playing football. So, that's your job and responsibility, and that's what we ask of all of our players. So, I think C.J.'s motivated this offseason to have a good offseason, prepare himself to try to be the best player he can be once the season starts."
On if it has helped to have an Offensive Coordinator in place before the Draft
"Yeah, the sooner you have just something in place at least you have an idea of the direction that you're going to go. It doesn't necessarily change how you evaluate or scout players, not necessarily. There are certain things you got to be able to do offensively. So maybe there's some things, [Offensive Coordinator] Nick [Caley], in this particular case, puts a little bit more weight or stock in, but to get that in place, went through it. It took us, two weeks-ish, from start to finish.
"So, we're very thoughtful. [Head Coach] DeMeco [Ryans] put a lot of time into it. Kind of went through the process, and they kind of made a decision there that Monday, or whenever it was, to get Nick in the building, to get him with the offensive staff, to kind of get them situated. We've given them some players to evaluate, both collegiately and pro, for agency as well. So free agency will be here before we know it. So, we want their input. How do you view the player? How do you see the role? Is it different than maybe what we think? So that'll be the first step. But to get that in place, it gives you some level of stability. Now you can just put the foot on the gas and start moving."
On if there was any hesitancy in Offensive Line Coach Cole Popovich's role after the offensive lines performance last season
"Yeah, it's always case by case. I would say in [Offensive Line] Cole's [Popovich] case, Cole's got a lot of experience. He has been in league for a number of years. You're not going based off of what players think, but they felt there was some positives and I'd say some of the offensive coordinators that we talked about had referenced Cole as somebody that they would want to potentially consider, separate from us. So, alright, well, the guys here, okay, does this makes sense? How does Nick Caley feel about it? How to a few other candidates that also had identified Cole.
"I think Cole was highly thought of in the league and the opportunity externally, away from Houston last year. He decided to stay in Houston, so we'll see how it goes. I'm sure there's some things that Cole was going to do kind of put his spin on it, but once we kind of get started, we'll kind of have a better idea what that looks like."
On if there is a particular need of the offensive line to improve next year
"Yeah, there's never one particular thing. So, I think the big thing is, can you get the players to do the right thing, to understand their assignment? Do they play the right with the right techniques? Do they play with the right fundamentals? Can they execute their assignment? Do they have an understanding of what's going on? So, I don't want to oversimplify it. Sometimes it's like, they come up with some magic formula. You protect from the inside out, can you protect the interior to pocket? Can you identify the rushers that are the most threat? Do you have an answer or solution, what they're doing on defense?
"So, we'll do whatever we think makes the most sense. Again, it's February 25 or 26th, so where we are today could be different in a week from now, could be different a few months from now. I don't know how it looks. Just because a guy is here doesn't necessarily mean, that's what it's going to look like. You guys were here a couple years ago, where we basically traded for three offensive linemen, signed another player, guys that weren't even here. We weren't even talking about in training camp, we are playing Week One through Four. So, I mean, that's just how it goes. So, you are prepared for anything. So, you got to start with the foundation. You got to start somewhere with the group, and then just kind of figure it out as you go."
On how he weighs wide receivers being traded for Draft picks
"There's always a cost. There's an opportunity cost associated with doing something. So, said player, here's a cost associated with them, whether it's a contract, whether it's draft compensation. Do you feel the player is worth that, whatever the opposing team is asking? Trades are always, it takes two to tango. So, we could think one thing, they could think another thing, if it matches up, the [WR Stefon] Diggs case, is a good example. So, we felt comfortable with that, and we thought it made sense. We thought it was the right value. So, we went ahead and did it. What's going to look like this year? I mean, I'm not sure. So, we'll go through this process here. So again, I think we're very case by case. Look at the situation, take the information in. All right, if we make this decision, what's at the expense of? All right, what are the alternatives, what's the next best option? That's kind of how we'll approach it."
