February 28, 2024 • 13 mins
KPRC reporter Aaron Wilson joins Next Up live from the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis to discuss how the Houston Texans and general manager Nick Caserio are approaching this offseason. The Texans walked out of last year's draft with franchise players, but how will they continue to add key pieces to the roster? When it comes to draft picks, the Texans are "having a better hit rate then they're used to," but "they got to keep it up," Wilson said. In addition to analyzing prospects at the Combine, the Texans could also look to the free agent market to retain and attain talent. Wilson says defensive end Jonathan Greenard is not signing with the Texans "before hearing what the other teams want." After reports stated that the New York Giants were unlikely to use the franchise tag on running back Saquon Barkley, who recently followed multiple Texans players on social media, Wilson says the rumors have some validity as Barkley is "intensely interested in the Texans."
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
And without any further ado, let'sgo out to the phone lines now live
from Indianapolis at the twenty twenty fourNFL combine, O were Texans insider Here
Sports Talk seven ninety you can seeand hear his work Sports seven ninety dot
com. Brother Aaron Wilson and gladyou made it safely. Brother, you
kind of rock the Texans world withsome intail. Hopefully you have some more
(00:21):
to break with us. Good morning, good morning, Yeah, happy to
discuss. Great, all right,we may ask you to change your position.
The signal sounds like it's a littledice and we'll see how it plays
out here. But my overall thought, this is my first time on the
air that since last week, Ithink this this player, that player,
(00:43):
and I just think it's a wholelike we've gotten silly as Texans fan because
now they're expectations coming off the fantasticyear that they just had. Is there
something to be said for just trustingNick Caserio and Demico to go at least
do as good a job as theydid in last year's free agent and draft
cycle. Yeah? Absolutely, Imean, don't they have credibility after winning
(01:07):
an AFC South Division title? Yetyou want to No, no, okay,
no, no, no, Ijust said, I just said,
just because you won one draft doesn'tmean you get card blanche that I'm just
going to trust your process. Igot to see you do it again and
again and again. Well yeah,like that's something that Nick and Sarah talked
about a lot in the last fewyears. So I wanted to build something
sustainable like the Steelers, like theRavens, like the way the Patriots used
(01:32):
to be when they had Tom Brady. And to do that, it just
takes like layers and layers. Theplayers you have to draft well, you
have to make their tree agent decisions, and you have to manage the salary
cap. I think that last year, you know they're drafting very high.
It's easier to draft well when you'repicking that high. It gets tougher now
(01:52):
drafting a twenty three to find theplayer. But I think because so many
offensive tackles and quarterbacks will go offthe board, some talented players it will
be, you know, decrease therisks at twenty three for a player that's
gonna, you know, wind uphelping you. I think there's a chance
they get some contributors. So youguys that made him be starters. So
it could do guys like Chop Robinsonor Cooper Desine. There at twenty three.
(02:15):
Overall, there'll be someone Brian ThomasMillishoe. I think they'll have a
chance to have one of those threeplayers and maybe someone else. It's an
interesting draft. And for the Texansand their drafting acumen, they're having a
better hit rate than they used to. I mean, and some of the
players they drafted years ago, likeNico Collins, you know, they've hit
(02:38):
stride within last year. Some playersit takes longer. I've seen, you
know, decent drafting. Yeah,for sure. I mean last year a
couple of home runs and they gotto keep it up. But I mean
they know that. It's the kindof I don't think they're resting on their
laurels necessarily, not the attitude I'mhearing about. It's, you know,
hungry. They just won one playoffgame. I don't think they're patting themselves
(03:00):
on them back at all or thinkinglike they got everything figured out. They
know they can do things better andand talking with to Mekle Ryan yesterday,
the bibe I have was, youknow, they just want to make sure
they stick with the right kind ofpeople. You know, it's talent's great,
but culture, all those intangibles,they're harder to evaluate than talent.
The talent everybody season on the tape, it's you know what kind of personal
(03:22):
see do they fit the locker room? Help me out here, Aaron,
because I'm seeing that. You know, it's it's a lot of guys say,
you know, like Chop Robinson saidhe's gonna meet with the Texans today.
They're gonna meet with almost every defensiveline and then linebacker. Yeah,
that's that's all right. I wasjust gonna bring that up because I know,
you know, Nick Caserio, I'veobserved him at the Senior Bowl watching
(03:42):
certain guys and checking certain guys out. But it's also interesting how they had
the last year when they didn't goto Alabama's pro day, and they didn't
go to Ohio State's pro day,and they tried to play you know,
kind of cooy on it and theyend up taking se j Strangwa. Later
they sent James Lipford. They justbroed Nick. James. James is like
an assistant general manager type of level. So when you send lift, that's
(04:03):
your top scout, your best evaluatorand so he's an expert. That's basically
that's Nick delegating and trusting that thiswill be his eyes and the ears.
And it wasn't all predicated on withthe Pro Day. By then they had
already you know, they're very convincedon Stroud that they loved him. They
loved this Combine interview which Nick withTamiko was referencing yesterday. But I would
(04:27):
say, yeah, they I don'tthink there's a fake out aspect, because
sometimes Nick will go to Pro Day'sare just can need it for him to
get out of the office. Hecan't be everywhere at once. So remember
Bill Belichick and him were like theonly top guys at the Southern mess of
this Pro Day that that happens.Wait, the only plat I was trying
to make aran is should we readanything into it if they met with a
(04:48):
guy at the Senior Bowl and they'remeeting with him privately at the Combine,
Like, do we read anything outof them? Yes? I don't think
it means that much. They couldthey a proliference of meetings, so one
I know about that. I thoughtthis is interesting, especially if they go
with more not the high price runningback. Let's say that they did bring
(05:10):
back Devin Motor Singletary and then draftedare running back like Kentucky running back Ray
Davis is someone that they have someinterest in and he met individually. Nick
Cancer didn't do a lot of individualmeetings. But deciphering all the clues,
putting it all together, it doesn'talways mean everything. Oh, they had
a visit, they love him.They have so many visits, and they
(05:31):
have thirty of them and I went, you know, reported a lot of
them last year. The official visitswhen they come to the you know right.
So yeah, for the top draftpicks like CJ. Strowd and Will
Anderson Jr. That does mean somethingbecause that's like the final box you check
and then they feel comfortable with youon the board and as a person,
and then you want to be inthe draft pick. But yeah, I
(05:53):
mean the meetings that some of theseare informal meetings, some of them are
official, Like you get the fifteenminutes. That's kind of thing with the
top people, and they meet witha lot of people in the draft process.
But I've been charging those for along time. I would say,
you know, some of it iswasted energy, just because they have so
(06:13):
many and then finding out, well, how did the visit go? Like
you're not going to get that levelof detail. You know, maybe the
player thinks it went well, butmaybe the team doesn't think it will well.
Generally, the team they never commenton or even on or off the
record about how you know, theythought a guy was unless they want up
picking him and they like him,like you know, like CJ's combined interview
last year, the demeanor that hedisplayed. But yeah, I would say
(06:36):
it's it's hit and miss on thevisits and the meetings. Aaron Wilson joining
us here on Next up Standing Northfleet. That's Chris Gordon and he is live
from the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. I am, I'm just tired of
guessing what the thought process. Heis from Caasario and Demico Meaning and Gord
(07:01):
and I and others. Right,I'm reading your work. I'm listening to
other shows on this station and others, and I'm like, all right,
if I were to ask you,is it are they looking at this by
we're going to put dollars in draftchoices? Is it by position? Is
it predicated on the premium? Isretaining our own guys. Is it We're
(07:21):
only going to spend money on theseX amount of guys and if they fall
outside of that? Like, what'sdriving this? Is it the draft?
Is it the free agent dollars?Is it the individual personalities of the players
themselves? What is the formula hereso it can put some of us at
ease? I mean, I don'tsense the need for anxiety. This is
(07:44):
just the normal pat of mouse.Like they're meeting with people, they met
with Jonathan Gernard's represents, they're tryingto negotiate. They use the deadline for
some of the stuff as pressure,but also it's the agents too. They
need to know what's the price.There are unofficial like the conversations, hypotheticals,
that stuff happens, and when youdo that, then you know what
(08:07):
the market is. So until youknow the numbers, Let's say you're Jonathan
Gernard and some say well, youshould be sixteen to eighteen and others say
no, he could get twenty twoto twenty four. Well that's a huge
evaluation. If you think about ifhe did a five year deal, what
if the Texans offer one of beingtwo million or three million ATI less than
(08:30):
another team. Then he's giving upfifteen million total dollars just you know,
he'd love to stay with his hometownteam, but you know they're happy to
make the decisions. Yeah, right, that's what I'm saying. So the
other but even anxiety. I mean, it's a moving target. So you
(08:52):
know, I don't refer everything Ihear, but I'm just saying like they're
trying to retain several guys. Iwouldn't say they're close on anything, but
it was shot me. If theKicker deal got done for TIMI forever.
No, that wouldn't surprise me.I think that with JG it'll go down
to the wire and then they'll haveto hear what the other teams have to
say during the tamparan period. He'snot signing before he hears what the other
(09:13):
teams want. There's no way whenyou're a top free agent. This is
just standard on running back. Likeyou know Saquon Barkley, he's intensely interested
in the Texans, but he's notgoing to know that answer. And so
after the combine when they get back, if they want to talk, then
and talk seriously. And the Giantsare meeting with his agents from CIA Ed
(09:37):
Barry and so who has Bryce Youngand some other guys He's been signed some
good players. He then will know, Okay, well that's what the Giants
will go to. I don't seeNick Caserio and the Texans spending over ten
million a year at a running back. I mean, but he's interested and
CG. Stroud's interested in him,and they've spoken, you know, they
messages with each other. But that'snot the only place the drought has talk
(10:01):
with. You know, there's otherplayers out there. So you know,
there's messaging with the Kendrick Bourne oryou know, guys like that. So
that that's just someone being a teamleader and also just but that's that's allowed.
That's legal. The players can talkto each other all year round,
right, It's just you just can'ttalk to another team's free agent, you
know, when there's still technically allthese guys are under contract until it expires
(10:26):
on the fourteenth, when free agencyofficially begins. But yeah, as far
as anxiety, I mean, it'sthe tenth time for all these people.
The players want to see are theygoing to get paid. I got a
phone call from a player that isuh, you know, used to play
for the Texans and you know hewas wondering about this guy and that guy
(10:46):
who's going to be back, andpeople all around the league they're curious about
this stuff, and as much informationas you can gather, ultimately you don't
know, well, is the finaloffer good enough for someone to say yes
or no? And then what dothey have behind door number two? For
top guys like Bernard, it isdefinitely a moving target. For some of
(11:07):
the other guys, I mean,you know, like a Cameron Johnston or
Fammy Fairburn or a Lake Cashman whomight leave. It's all just very fluid.
But it's this is the NFL,and when you have a lot of
cash space, it doesn't mean everysingle guys want to come back or they're
gonna find every top free agent they'regonna be. I can't kind of picky,
(11:28):
but watch for a running back,watch for a linebacker. I think
they could be in the off theball linebacker market. They certainly need more
to go with Kristian Harris. Theyhave a new linebackers coach and Bill Davis
they've hired. He replaces Chris Kiffin. So yeah, they're going to need
some players at that position, andyou know, I think they'll still need
some help in the secondary. StevenNelson thing unclear still if he'll be back
(11:52):
or if he'll be leaving, becausethere really hasn't been a lot of that
dialogue. Some of this, too, even has to do with meetings.
You know, sometimes of these topguys, if they don't have a lot
of guys in the draft, theymay not even arrive in Indy. Like
one of the guys that represents someTexans players, he won't even be here
till Friday. So then they canhave a meeting and talk and see what
(12:15):
they're going to do if they're onthe same page financially. But it's interesting,
it's every negotiation, they're all different, they're all different prices. And
then you know, I mean,I do my best to look at it,
and but you know, it's nota play by play. I think
you said it perfectly. I thinkyou said it perfectly, and we got
(12:37):
to wrap up here. But Ithink you said listen, it's a moving
target and we will continue to monitoryour work at Aaron Wilson Underscore NFL.
You will also, Houston continue tomonitor this station Sports seven ninety dot com.
Aaron, I got a slide,brother, I appreciate it. Great
work by you, per usual.And let's do it again here on the
back side of the combine. Soundsgreat an appreciate it. Have a good day.
And without any further ado, let'sgo out to the phone lines now live
from Indianapolis at the twenty twenty fourNFL combine, O were Texans insider Here
Sports Talk seven ninety you can seeand hear his work Sports seven ninety dot
com. Brother Aaron Wilson and gladyou made it safely. Brother, you
kind of rock the Texans world withsome intail. Hopefully you have some more
(00:21):
to break with us. Good morning, good morning, Yeah, happy to
discuss. Great, all right,we may ask you to change your position.
The signal sounds like it's a littledice and we'll see how it plays
out here. But my overall thought, this is my first time on the
air that since last week, Ithink this this player, that player,
(00:43):
and I just think it's a wholelike we've gotten silly as Texans fan because
now they're expectations coming off the fantasticyear that they just had. Is there
something to be said for just trustingNick Caserio and Demico to go at least
do as good a job as theydid in last year's free agent and draft
cycle. Yeah? Absolutely, Imean, don't they have credibility after winning
(01:07):
an AFC South Division title? Yetyou want to No, no, okay,
no, no, no, Ijust said, I just said,
just because you won one draft doesn'tmean you get card blanche that I'm just
going to trust your process. Igot to see you do it again and
again and again. Well yeah,like that's something that Nick and Sarah talked
about a lot in the last fewyears. So I wanted to build something
sustainable like the Steelers, like theRavens, like the way the Patriots used
(01:32):
to be when they had Tom Brady. And to do that, it just
takes like layers and layers. Theplayers you have to draft well, you
have to make their tree agent decisions, and you have to manage the salary
cap. I think that last year, you know they're drafting very high.
It's easier to draft well when you'repicking that high. It gets tougher now
(01:52):
drafting a twenty three to find theplayer. But I think because so many
offensive tackles and quarterbacks will go offthe board, some talented players it will
be, you know, decrease therisks at twenty three for a player that's
gonna, you know, wind uphelping you. I think there's a chance
they get some contributors. So youguys that made him be starters. So
it could do guys like Chop Robinsonor Cooper Desine. There at twenty three.
(02:15):
Overall, there'll be someone Brian ThomasMillishoe. I think they'll have a
chance to have one of those threeplayers and maybe someone else. It's an
interesting draft. And for the Texansand their drafting acumen, they're having a
better hit rate than they used to. I mean, and some of the
players they drafted years ago, likeNico Collins, you know, they've hit
(02:38):
stride within last year. Some playersit takes longer. I've seen, you
know, decent drafting. Yeah,for sure. I mean last year a
couple of home runs and they gotto keep it up. But I mean
they know that. It's the kindof I don't think they're resting on their
laurels necessarily, not the attitude I'mhearing about. It's, you know,
hungry. They just won one playoffgame. I don't think they're patting themselves
(03:00):
on them back at all or thinkinglike they got everything figured out. They
know they can do things better andand talking with to Mekle Ryan yesterday,
the bibe I have was, youknow, they just want to make sure
they stick with the right kind ofpeople. You know, it's talent's great,
but culture, all those intangibles,they're harder to evaluate than talent.
The talent everybody season on the tape, it's you know what kind of personal
(03:22):
see do they fit the locker room? Help me out here, Aaron,
because I'm seeing that. You know, it's it's a lot of guys say,
you know, like Chop Robinson saidhe's gonna meet with the Texans today.
They're gonna meet with almost every defensiveline and then linebacker. Yeah,
that's that's all right. I wasjust gonna bring that up because I know,
you know, Nick Caserio, I'veobserved him at the Senior Bowl watching
(03:42):
certain guys and checking certain guys out. But it's also interesting how they had
the last year when they didn't goto Alabama's pro day, and they didn't
go to Ohio State's pro day,and they tried to play you know,
kind of cooy on it and theyend up taking se j Strangwa. Later
they sent James Lipford. They justbroed Nick. James. James is like
an assistant general manager type of level. So when you send lift, that's
(04:03):
your top scout, your best evaluatorand so he's an expert. That's basically
that's Nick delegating and trusting that thiswill be his eyes and the ears.
And it wasn't all predicated on withthe Pro Day. By then they had
already you know, they're very convincedon Stroud that they loved him. They
loved this Combine interview which Nick withTamiko was referencing yesterday. But I would
(04:27):
say, yeah, they I don'tthink there's a fake out aspect, because
sometimes Nick will go to Pro Day'sare just can need it for him to
get out of the office. Hecan't be everywhere at once. So remember
Bill Belichick and him were like theonly top guys at the Southern mess of
this Pro Day that that happens.Wait, the only plat I was trying
to make aran is should we readanything into it if they met with a
(04:48):
guy at the Senior Bowl and they'remeeting with him privately at the Combine,
Like, do we read anything outof them? Yes? I don't think
it means that much. They couldthey a proliference of meetings, so one
I know about that. I thoughtthis is interesting, especially if they go
with more not the high price runningback. Let's say that they did bring
(05:10):
back Devin Motor Singletary and then draftedare running back like Kentucky running back Ray
Davis is someone that they have someinterest in and he met individually. Nick
Cancer didn't do a lot of individualmeetings. But deciphering all the clues,
putting it all together, it doesn'talways mean everything. Oh, they had
a visit, they love him.They have so many visits, and they
(05:31):
have thirty of them and I went, you know, reported a lot of
them last year. The official visitswhen they come to the you know right.
So yeah, for the top draftpicks like CJ. Strowd and Will
Anderson Jr. That does mean somethingbecause that's like the final box you check
and then they feel comfortable with youon the board and as a person,
and then you want to be inthe draft pick. But yeah, I
(05:53):
mean the meetings that some of theseare informal meetings, some of them are
official, Like you get the fifteenminutes. That's kind of thing with the
top people, and they meet witha lot of people in the draft process.
But I've been charging those for along time. I would say,
you know, some of it iswasted energy, just because they have so
(06:13):
many and then finding out, well, how did the visit go? Like
you're not going to get that levelof detail. You know, maybe the
player thinks it went well, butmaybe the team doesn't think it will well.
Generally, the team they never commenton or even on or off the
record about how you know, theythought a guy was unless they want up
picking him and they like him,like you know, like CJ's combined interview
last year, the demeanor that hedisplayed. But yeah, I would say
(06:36):
it's it's hit and miss on thevisits and the meetings. Aaron Wilson joining
us here on Next up Standing Northfleet. That's Chris Gordon and he is live
from the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. I am, I'm just tired of
guessing what the thought process. Heis from Caasario and Demico Meaning and Gord
(07:01):
and I and others. Right,I'm reading your work. I'm listening to
other shows on this station and others, and I'm like, all right,
if I were to ask you,is it are they looking at this by
we're going to put dollars in draftchoices? Is it by position? Is
it predicated on the premium? Isretaining our own guys. Is it We're
(07:21):
only going to spend money on theseX amount of guys and if they fall
outside of that? Like, what'sdriving this? Is it the draft?
Is it the free agent dollars?Is it the individual personalities of the players
themselves? What is the formula hereso it can put some of us at
ease? I mean, I don'tsense the need for anxiety. This is
(07:44):
just the normal pat of mouse.Like they're meeting with people, they met
with Jonathan Gernard's represents, they're tryingto negotiate. They use the deadline for
some of the stuff as pressure,but also it's the agents too. They
need to know what's the price.There are unofficial like the conversations, hypotheticals,
that stuff happens, and when youdo that, then you know what
(08:07):
the market is. So until youknow the numbers, Let's say you're Jonathan
Gernard and some say well, youshould be sixteen to eighteen and others say
no, he could get twenty twoto twenty four. Well that's a huge
evaluation. If you think about ifhe did a five year deal, what
if the Texans offer one of beingtwo million or three million ATI less than
(08:30):
another team. Then he's giving upfifteen million total dollars just you know,
he'd love to stay with his hometownteam, but you know they're happy to
make the decisions. Yeah, right, that's what I'm saying. So the
other but even anxiety. I mean, it's a moving target. So you
(08:52):
know, I don't refer everything Ihear, but I'm just saying like they're
trying to retain several guys. Iwouldn't say they're close on anything, but
it was shot me. If theKicker deal got done for TIMI forever.
No, that wouldn't surprise me.I think that with JG it'll go down
to the wire and then they'll haveto hear what the other teams have to
say during the tamparan period. He'snot signing before he hears what the other
(09:13):
teams want. There's no way whenyou're a top free agent. This is
just standard on running back. Likeyou know Saquon Barkley, he's intensely interested
in the Texans, but he's notgoing to know that answer. And so
after the combine when they get back, if they want to talk, then
and talk seriously. And the Giantsare meeting with his agents from CIA Ed
(09:37):
Barry and so who has Bryce Youngand some other guys He's been signed some
good players. He then will know, Okay, well that's what the Giants
will go to. I don't seeNick Caserio and the Texans spending over ten
million a year at a running back. I mean, but he's interested and
CG. Stroud's interested in him,and they've spoken, you know, they
messages with each other. But that'snot the only place the drought has talk
(10:01):
with. You know, there's otherplayers out there. So you know,
there's messaging with the Kendrick Bourne oryou know, guys like that. So
that that's just someone being a teamleader and also just but that's that's allowed.
That's legal. The players can talkto each other all year round,
right, It's just you just can'ttalk to another team's free agent, you
know, when there's still technically allthese guys are under contract until it expires
(10:26):
on the fourteenth, when free agencyofficially begins. But yeah, as far
as anxiety, I mean, it'sthe tenth time for all these people.
The players want to see are theygoing to get paid. I got a
phone call from a player that isuh, you know, used to play
for the Texans and you know hewas wondering about this guy and that guy
(10:46):
who's going to be back, andpeople all around the league they're curious about
this stuff, and as much informationas you can gather, ultimately you don't
know, well, is the finaloffer good enough for someone to say yes
or no? And then what dothey have behind door number two? For
top guys like Bernard, it isdefinitely a moving target. For some of
(11:07):
the other guys, I mean,you know, like a Cameron Johnston or
Fammy Fairburn or a Lake Cashman whomight leave. It's all just very fluid.
But it's this is the NFL,and when you have a lot of
cash space, it doesn't mean everysingle guys want to come back or they're
gonna find every top free agent they'regonna be. I can't kind of picky,
(11:28):
but watch for a running back,watch for a linebacker. I think
they could be in the off theball linebacker market. They certainly need more
to go with Kristian Harris. Theyhave a new linebackers coach and Bill Davis
they've hired. He replaces Chris Kiffin. So yeah, they're going to need
some players at that position, andyou know, I think they'll still need
some help in the secondary. StevenNelson thing unclear still if he'll be back
(11:52):
or if he'll be leaving, becausethere really hasn't been a lot of that
dialogue. Some of this, too, even has to do with meetings.
You know, sometimes of these topguys, if they don't have a lot
of guys in the draft, theymay not even arrive in Indy. Like
one of the guys that represents someTexans players, he won't even be here
till Friday. So then they canhave a meeting and talk and see what
(12:15):
they're going to do if they're onthe same page financially. But it's interesting,
it's every negotiation, they're all different, they're all different prices. And
then you know, I mean,I do my best to look at it,
and but you know, it's nota play by play. I think
you said it perfectly. I thinkyou said it perfectly, and we got
(12:37):
to wrap up here. But Ithink you said listen, it's a moving
target and we will continue to monitoryour work at Aaron Wilson Underscore NFL.
You will also, Houston continue tomonitor this station Sports seven ninety dot com.
Aaron, I got a slide,brother, I appreciate it. Great
work by you, per usual.And let's do it again here on the
back side of the combine. Soundsgreat an appreciate it. Have a good day.
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