Texans GM Nick Caserio — Three Best and Worst Moves

Well, yesterday I said that the Houston Texans’ early bye week gives us a chance to generate report cards on the coaching staff. With no game to discuss, why not discuss the previous five games? I suppose then that the same sentiment could apply to the general manager, Nick Caserio.

This article is not necessarily a letter grade for Caserio, but instead a summary of his 2025 offseason and the effect it’s had on the actual 2025 regular season thus far. Let’s do look at where Caserio’s offseason has had a positive impact, and conversely, where his moves fell short. Here we go:

BEST MOVES

3. Chubb and Speed “prove it” deals

The Texans are starting to accumulate more and more expensive “second contract” player, most notably Derek Stingley and Jalen Pitre last spring, Next spring, it’s expected that Will Anderson and C.J. Stroud will join them. As a result, Nick Caserio will need to sign veterans looking to prove themselves on one-year deals. This season, thus far, running back Nick Chubb (1 year, $2.5 million) and linebacker E.J. Speed (1 year, $3.5 million) fit that bill, as both have made contributions well beyond their contract totals. 

2. Jake Andrews signing

Since he will never tell, we have no way of knowing exactly how deep in the expensive free agent market Caserio chose to dive, in terms of offers or assessment. The only thing we know about is with whom the Texans ended up. Jake Andrews was a street free agent with some history with offensive line coach Cole Popovich back at the University of Troy in 2022. Andrews had started one game in the NFL when the Texans signed him. Thus far, it’s worked out pretty well, as Andrews has been a solid center, supplanting last season’s incumbents, Juice Scruggs and Jarrett Patterson.

1. Ed Ingram trade 

Similarly,  Caserio chose to try to fill one of the guard positions by trading a 6th round pick to Minnesota for Ed Ingram. That move has worked out even better than the Andrews signing, as Ingram has been rated the top guard in the sport by Pro Football Focus thus far for the entire 2025 season. Say what you will about PFF grades, but when you’re ranked first, at a minimum, it’s an indicator of solid play. 

WORST MOVES

3. Left guard approach

While center and the right side of the offensive line have represented some feathers in Caserio’s cap, the left side of the line has been shaky, at best. We can live with Aireontae Ersery struggling at left tackle, as a rookie, although it’s shaky strategy starting a rookie in that spot. However, left guard has been a circus, with veteran free agent Laken Tomlinson handling the first couple games (and not well) and then Tomlinson and Juice Scruggs splitting time for a couple games, and finally, Scruggs taking over versus Baltimore, but not well. 

2. Cam Robinson cap effect

In March, the Texans signed Cam Robinson to a one year deal for up to $14 million. Robinson proceeded to get hurt during trading camp and Ersery took his job. Robinson never came close to reclaiming his job, and eventually he was traded to Cleveland, with the Texans absorbing the damage for the nearly $9 million in guaranteed money that the Texans signed gave him. 

1. C.J. Gardner-Johnson cap effect

It’s kind of wild to think back to the moment when C.J. Gardner-Johnson was injured in West Virginia at training camp. It looked like he was out for the season with a knee injury, and it felt significant at the time. I was there in person, and it was somber. Fast forward, and after the Texans’ 0-3 start they couldn’t cut Gardner-Johnson fast enough. He was a menace behind the scenes, and missed assignments galore on the field. Paying him around $8 million to lose three games for the Texans was suboptimal. 

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