Nick

Caserio

Per Schefter, Caserio has executed 25 draft trades the past five years, including seven last year, and is always “looking to move around the draft.” The Texans possess the No. 28 overall pick and are slated to pick three times tomorrow, including two second-round picks. Caserio’s Day 2 picks might be able to get him an extra selection on Day 1.

Schultz explains the reason teams are inquiring about a potential deal is because there are “tangible drop-offs” among available wide receivers and edge rushers, and that both positions would be targeted early in the second round. The Browns currently own the first pick of tonight’s second round, followed by the Texans (No. 34) and Titans (No. 35). NBC Sports’ Eric Froton expects the first wide receiver selected tonight will be Missouri’s Luther Burden at No. 35 (Titans), while the first edge rusher taken will be Marshall’s Mike Green at No. 38 (Patriots).

Prior reports indicate that the Texans hope to draft an offensive lineman that can start on day one, and Sean Payton has spoken openly about his desire to add a running back or tight end that can assume his passing-game Joker role. Whether the front offices can pull off their desired moves remains to be seen. Both offenses would benefit greatly from achieving their desired outcome.

After dealing Laremy Tunsil to the Commanders, the Texans have an extra third-round pick this year and an extra second-round pick in 2026 to maneuver their way around the draft board. Nick Caserio is no stranger to trading up — Will Anderson Jr. is only his most famous strike as he’s also paid up for the picks to select players like Nico Collins and John Metchie — so this would not at all be surprising from a need and talent perspective, particularly if Caserio sees a huge tier drop on his preferred linemen in the teens.

The Texans are in desperate need of a franchise quarterback, but there’s been some speculation they could pass on a signal-caller with the second overall pick. While that seems like a less-than-ideal approach for first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans, the Texans also hold the 12th overall pick and could take their chances on a quarterback falling to them a bit later in the draft. It doesn’t sound like the Texans are actively shopping their top pick but are staying open-minded to the possibility of a deal. Caserio said he also has no plans on leaving after the draft, despite rumors that “organizational changes” could be on the way in the coming weeks.

Lombardi worked with the Patriots at one point and has a direct line to the Belichick tree. Caserio was linked back to New England by a rumor that John McClain heard at the combine -- one that McClain doesn’t personally endorse or believe in. Michael Silver notes that 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters could be a target to replace Caserio. While Caserio helped lead the search for Ryans, the two of them had never spoken per Caserio’s own admission before the process, which makes it easy to believe that he wasn’t necessarily on Caserio’s personal short list. Caserio’s initial post-season presser also had him questioning aloud multiple times that a new head coach might not want Caserio to be general manager. It’s hard to suss out exactly what will unfold here ahead of a dramatic No. 2 overall pick, but smoke has been billowing out of Caserio leaving since the end of the 2022 season.

To put this in a more blunt way, Nick Caserio said multiple times in his Monday presser that a new coach might not desire his services and that he would have to live with that. The Texans are currently casting a wide net on young coaches in their search for their fourth head coach in four years. It’s not completely off the table that the Texans hire a new head coach who wants to move on from Caserio, and Texans owner Cal McNair told reporters yesterday that he would take a more active role in this coaching search. Caserio’s Texans have won seven games in his first two seasons as general manager.

We’ve heard plenty of smoke about Lovie Smith being on the hot seat this weekend, but this is the first real report we’ve had noting that Nick Caserio’s job could be on the line. After two years as Houston’s general manager, Houston remains one of the oldest rosters in the NFL. It’s perhaps a little unfair to expect the Texans to have made the playoffs or anything like that at this point given where they started with Caserio and David Culley, but it’s not hard to argue they should look a little more functional than they have to date.

The Texans hold the No. 3 and No. 13 picks but are looking to make two selections in the top 10, “if the right player is there.” It’s possible that the Texans are eyeing a wide receiver, given that as many as three wide receivers could be off the board before Houston is up at 13. Given their depleted roster, one might expect the Texans to move back and acquire additional assets, but that does not appear to be the plan.

All of the picks involved are from the 2022 NFL Draft. Bill Belichick is the league’s most active trader and this time he’s making a deal with a former employee, Nick Caserio, who is currently the Texans’ general manager. Caserio was with the Patriots for 20 years before landing the Houston gig. Per Pro Football Focus’s Doug Kyed, the Pats have only used six fifth-round picks since 2012. They had two fifth-round selections before this deal, so at least one had to go.