Taking another stab at establishing Patriots South harks to past problems

The most worrisome factor in the Texans’ pursuit of new leadership in a general manager and a head coach was that no one in the decision room had been charged with making such hires before.

( Unless you believe the exaggeration on one of their résumés.)

While it is easy to put Robert Saleh and Eric Bieniemy atop my preferred head coaches list, I could offer no suggestions as to whom the Texans should hire as general manager.

I’m not privy to references, background checks or interview performances. Much of the work being judged is private and obscure, so one’s readiness for the position cannot be ascertained from afar.

That is why the Texans paid a search

firm to offer suggestions.

Most certainly Nick Caserio, whom the Texans hired Tuesday, is a qualified candidate. He should be good at the job.

But there is a question of whether he was the most qualified on the Texans’ list or simply the preferred choice of Jack Easterby.

That the latter is likely should be distressing to Texans fans.

With this faux search, owner Cal McNair managed to drum up negative vibes from a hire that rarely draws criticism.

According to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, Caserio was not one of the five finalists presented to the Texans by the search firm Korn Ferry.

The Texans went through the motions in interviewing Matt Bazirgan, Omar Khan, Trent Kirchner and Louis Riddick, and they asked the Ravens for permission to interview Scott Cohen, Korn Ferry’s other recommendation.

Then they hired the guy for whom they broke NFL rules in

trying to steal him from the Patriots a year and a half ago?

Incredible. And so, so Texans- like.

That fiasco, which was blatant tampering by the Texans and contractually not allowed by Caserio’s deal with the Patriots, pretty much ended with Bill Belichick knocking on McNair’s noggin screaming, “Hello, McFly! Hello, McNair! Anybody home?”

Not at all embarrassed, McNair went Patriots shopping again.

The Texans’ infatuation will all things New England hasn’t produced a championship or anything close to it. Worse, it gave us seven years of Bill O’Brien.

Easterby, perhaps the most unqualified executive in NFL history not related to or sleeping with an owner, will almost certainly remain a prominent figure in the Texans’ power structure.

McNair has said he would leave Easterby’s fate up to the incoming GM. Easterby and Caserio are good friends who worked together with the Patriots. Guess whom Easterby pushed McFly to hire?

While Easterby is a popular whipping boy, he is not the reason the Texans stunk up NRG Stadium this season. Running Easterby off would be a palliative solution at best. His presence and ascension within the franchise is only a symptom.

Right now, many of you are picturing O’Brien wearing wrestling tights and a mask at a news conference, answering questions as his alter ego: The Problem.

You weren’t? Sorry about that.

How about a tag team duo of McNair and O’Brien? Problem 1 and Problem 2.

No. 2 is gone. Problem No. 1 is here to stay.

GM hires almost always excite a fan base. As mentioned above, most people such as Caserio, who has been the director of player personnel with the Patriots since 2008, are behind- the- scenes characters. As New England’s de facto GM, Caserio is better known than most.

Had the Texans hired him in 2019, the move would have been applauded. But the Texans bungled that then.

And now again. Because this is what they do.

Perhaps years from now, Caserio’s hiring will be the one that puts the Texans on a championship track. Having talked to a few current and former NFL front- office employees, I do know the Texans’ general manager job was among the most coveted in the league.

Houston is a wonderful, football- crazed city with amazingly loyal fans — who will support even a losing franchise — and a soft media pack that is more cheerleader than watchdog.

H-Town’s 0- for-55 Super Bowl history — and the Texans’ lack of a celebrated tradition — is a bonus, I’m told. Houston’s NFL Mount Rushmore — Earl Campbell, Bum Phillips, Warren Moon, J. J. Watt — is hardly carved in stone. I assure you a couple of them would be erased without discussion by the head coach- quarterback combination that delivers this city its first Super Bowl championship.

Boulevards, babies and bayous will be named after them.

Unless the Texans get caught stealing signs — Caserio has been with the Patriots since 2001 — the general manager who orchestrates said Super Bowl run will be the most beloved sports executive this city has ever had.

As easy as it will be to follow O’Brien as a head coach — let’s hope that search is a real one — it will be even easier to follow him as a GM. A monkey at the Houston Zoo could generally manage better than O’Brien.

That is another reason the Texans’ job ranked so high. Failure is typically the reason a GM job is available in the first place, so that is present with most openings, but the Texans’ job is a rare opportunity where almost any level of competence would be an upgrade.

Monkey see, monkey don’t do a DeAndre Hopkins trade.

Caserio will be fine. But you can’t blame Texans fans for not being excited.

Over and over, the Texans look like a franchise whose owner doesn’t know what he’s doing.