New Texans coach embraces challenge, even without Watson.
Not surprisingly, general manager Nick Caserio said Friday that quarterback Deshaun Watson is vital to what the Texans want to accomplish under new coach David Culley and will not be traded.
Watson is demanding a trade, and Caserio should be saying all the right things about keeping one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, who’s coming off the best season of his career and is under contract through the 2025 season.
Caserio repeated what he said during his introductory Zoom conference call with the media Jan. 9 — that Watson is the Texans’ quarterback and won’t be going anywhere.
“We have zero interest in trading (Watson),” Caserio said before introducing Culley as the new coach. “Organizationally, I want to reiterate our commitment to Deshaun Watson. He’s had a great impact on this organization, a great impact on a lot of people, a great impact on this team, and we look forward to the opportunity to spend more time with him here this spring.”
Culley, 65, is walking into a firestorm that won’t be extinguished anytime soon, because Watson is determined to be traded.
Caserio, Culley and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly have close to three months to try to change Watson’s mind. As the NFL draft approaches, if Caserio and Culley believe the relationship can’t be salvaged, they should begin trade discussions and start with the Jets, who have the second overall pick in what is shaping up as a terrific draft for quarterbacks.
Despite Watson’s resolve to be traded — and remember he has a no-trade clause — the Texans’ stance hasn’t changed: They have no intentions of trading their best player, a team leader and a pillar of the community — the kind of quarterback Houston has been missing since the Oilers traded Warren Moon to Minnesota after the 1993 season.
“We have a great plan and a great vision for him and for this team and his role on our team,” Caserio said.
The Texans look foolish for getting into this predicament to begin with. They’ll look even worse if they give in and trade Watson, but they may have no choice. The feud is going to simmer for a while because Culley has to hire his first staff, adjust to his new environment, and slip comfortably into his new role as the face of a franchise for the first time.
Chairman and CEO Cal McNair better hope that Culley has enough power of persuasion to make an impact with Watson.
One reason Caserio recommended Culley to McNair was his communication skills. It’s going to take some kind of cajoling to get Watson to even listen.
“We talked about this a few weeks ago,” Caserio said of his Zoom with the media. “The best way you handle relationships is to communicate and be honest and forthright. We’re going to do that with everybody that’s in this building, from equipment to training staff to coaching staff to personnel to players.
“This is kind of the initial stages of our program. This is the first day for David, and we’re going to spend a lot of time together over the next few days. There’s a number of things we’re going to address. I would say in the interim, staff construction will be at the forefront of that.”
Because the news conference was short and sweet, Caserio wasn’t asked some questions fans and media would like to hear him address. For instance, right behind the Watson controversy is what to do about defensive end J.J. Watt.
Watt, who turns 32 in March, is entering his 11th season. He has one year left on his contract. Will the Texans trade him, release him, or try to extend his contract that has one year and a nonguaranteed $17.5 million remaining?
Trading or releasing Watt would wipe out the projected salary cap deficit of $10 to $15 million — depending on what the cap turns out to be. Trading Watson would leave a dead cap hit of $21.6 million.
Caserio, who has final say on all personnel decisions, and Culley, who controls the coaching staff and game-day roster, have a lot of difficult decisions to make while trying to transform a team that finished 4-12 this season.
“One thing that’s pretty consistent when you look at the NFL, and especially where we are, there’s a lot of transition that’s taking place,” Caserio said. “From front office to coaching staff, and there’s going to be some player decisions we’re going to have to make.”
One reason McNair hired Caserio and Culley is because both understand the significance of the team and the organization having a strong working relationship between the general manager and head coach.
“David and I have had a lot of discussions about a lot of different things,” Caserio said. “Our focus is to do what we always feel is right for the Texans. That’s what David believes in, and that’s what I believe in.”
Now that the head coaching search is over, Culley has to fill out his assistant coaching staff.
“The next thing we’ll turn to is staff construction, what the vision is for the team, and what the staff has in mind and try to make what we think are the best decisions for the organization,” Caserio said. “Once we have the staff in place, they’ll have an opportunity to evaluate our team. There’ll be decisions we have to make in different areas by the start of the new league year (March 17).”
The Texans have cap problems and no picks in the first two rounds. And, of course, they have a quarterback issue. Caserio won six Super Bowl rings in New England, and he knows the importance of a great quarterback,.
“Like anything, it’s going to be through hard work,” he said. “It’s going to be through honest communication, and we’re going to do the right thing by people, because that’s what we believe in.”