FACING HIS FORMER EMPLOYER
Bills executive Gaine, fired as Texans’ GM last year, helped mold both teams
Brian Gaine was in the Texans’ press box a week ago, watching the action on the field through binoculars. • He was working on an advance scouting report for his current NFL employer: the Buffalo Bills. • It was a familiar view and vantage point for Gaine, a 46-year-old New York native. • Gaine was the Texans’ general manager until being abruptly fired in June after 17 months on the job as the replacement for Rick Smith. • One month after being dismissed by the Texans — who now operate under the authority of coach Bill O’Brien as a de facto GM working in tandem with executives Jack Easterby, Chris Olsen, Matt Bazirgan and Rob Kisiel — Gaine was hired by the Bills as a senior personnel advisor. • Gaine returns to NRG Stadium on Saturday when the Bills play the AFC South champion Texans in a wild card playoff game.
It’s an interesting juxtaposition considering the imprint Gaine has had on both teams’ rosters.
After three years working under Smith, Gaine was hired as part of Bills GM Brandon Beane’s first staff in May 2017 as vice president of player personnel. He returned to Houston after the 2017 season to be the franchise’s third general manager after Smith took a leave of absence when his wife Tiffany was diagnosed with cancer and later died.
As director of player personnel during his first stint with the Texans, Gaine was involved in multiple drafts and free agency signing periods. He was on the staff in 2017 when Smith engineered a draft-day trade to acquire quarterback Deshaun Watson, a Pro Bowl selection this season.
O’Brien was part of the Texans’ GM search committee and gave Gaine a strong recommendation to the McNair family. Working in tandem, Gaine and O’Brien both spoke highly of each other. No player was drafted or signed that O’Brien didn’t approve.
As GM, Gaine oversaw the past two drafts and free-agent signing periods for the Texans. The NFL front-office veteran selected or signed many of the players still on the Texans’ roster.
That includes his first draft pick in 2018 netting starting safety Justin Reid in the third round along with selecting starting rookie offensive linemen Tytus Howard and Max Scharping in the first round and second round, respectively, last year as well as cornerback Lonnie Johnson Jr.
In free agency last offseason, the Texans signed veteran safety Tashaun Gipson after being outbid by the Chiefs for safety Tyrann Mathieu. Gipson is now out for the season with a back injury after leading the defense with three interceptions.
The Texans also added standout cornerback Bradley Roby, tight end Darren Fells — who has seven touchdown catches — and safety Jahleel Addae on one-year contracts.
After Gaine was fired last June, O’Brien commented just once on his former coworker one year after emphasizing the alignment between them: “High character, great family man, good football person.” Gaine wasn’t made available for comment for this article.
Since Gaine’s dismissal, which was followed by the Texans’ attempt to hire Patriots executive Nick Caserio that briefly drew a tampering charge from New England before agreeing to no longer pursue him, the Texans have operated with a more aggressive style than under Gaine or Smith.
O’Brien has been heavily involved in multiple trades, exchanging a combination of draft picks and players, including a pair of first-round draft picks and a secondrounder going to the Dolphins to land Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and starting wide receiver Kenny Stills. The Texans also acquired running backs Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson and cornerback Gareon Conley via trades and added nickel back Vernon Hargreaves off waivers.
The Texans are actively looking for opportunities to acquire players under contract beyond this season that they regard as having upside. Essentially, they’re looking for depressed assets.
And in a departure from their previous negotiating policy under Gaine and Smith, the team is now doing in-season deals. That includes signing center Nick Martin, outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus and punter Bryan Anger to contract extensions.
Like his former team, Gaine has moved on.
With the Bills, he is working in a well-respected personnel department led by Beane and assistant general manager Joe Schoen. Gaine has worked behind the scenes for the Bills scouting NFL and college games and is part of a former Texans contingent in Buffalo.
Former Texans secondary coach John Butler now coaches the Bills’ defensive backs. That includes former Texans firstround pick Kevin Johnson, who’s expected to play extensively Saturday with fellow cornerback Levi Wallace dealing with an ankle injury.