Sources: Pats drop grievance as Texans move on
Sarah Barshop
HOUSTON -- The Houston Texans will no longer pursue New England Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio for their general manager position, the team announced Friday.
As a result, the Patriots dropped the tampering charges they filed Wednesday against the Texans for the attempted hire of Caserio, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. On Wednesday, sources said the Texans had requested permission to interview Caserio for their GM job but had not been granted permission.
"When we started the process to interview Nick Caserio for our EVP/GM position, we consulted the League office on numerous occasions, followed the procedures outlined in the League's rules and believed we were in full compliance," Texans CEO Cal McNair said in a statement. "We have now been made aware of certain terms in Nick's contract with the Patriots. Once we were made aware of these contract terms, I advised Mr. [Robert] Kraft that we would stop pursuing Nick."
Kraft alluded to a resolution between the teams in his statement, saying: "The Houston Texans and the New England Patriots have always had a great working relationship. We appreciate the way Cal McNair has handled this situation."
The Texans fired general manager Brian Gaine on June 7, one day after the Patriots' Super Bowl ring ceremony. Caserio and Jack Easterby, the Texans' new executive vice president of team development, were at the ceremony.
Houston has interviewed former Browns general manager Ray Farmer and 49ers vice president of player personnel Martin Mayhew for the GM position. Until the Texans hire Gaine's replacement, Houston's football operations will be led by Chris Olsen, the team's senior vice president of football administration.
With Houston dropping its pursuit of Caserio, a source told Schefter there is a scenario in which the Texans will go this season without an official general manager. For less than a year, head coach Bill O'Brien, Easterby and the scouting department could divvy up the duties.
