AFC South Notes: Colts, Texans, GM Search

Colts

Kevin Bowen of 1070 The Fan posted his latest 53-man roster projection on Monday for the Colts.

• Some of the notable players cut by Bowen include RB Jordan Wilkins, TE Gabe Holmes, OT J’Marcus Webb, DT Caraun Reid, CB Jalen Collins, S Isaiah Johnson, and S Roland Milligan.

Texans

Texans CB Aaron Colvin is hoping his second season in Houston goes better than his first. An injury limited him to 10 games, but he was healthy when the Texans deactivated him during the playoffs.

“I’m pretty disappointed with how it went on the field, but it was a great year for me because I experienced a lot of things I never experienced before,” Colvin said via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “I grew a lot as a person and I’m thankful. I always come back strong.”

GM Search

The Texans interviewed former Browns GM Ray Farmer and former Lions GM Martin Mayhew, but after striking out with Patriots executive Nick Caserio, it’s becoming clear those interviews were done simply to satisfy the NFL’s Rooney Rule minority interview requirements.

“If you’re firing the GM in June, you are doing it because you know who the next guy is,” said one longtime team executive via CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. “And you’d better make sure that you already have him, or know that you can get him. Otherwise you have a total mess on your hands. Look at the Jets and Joe Douglas. That was their guy even before the draft. It was obvious the Texans were all-in on Caserio, and that’s fine … as long as you get him.”

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer writes that the Texans could go into 2019 with HC Bill O’Brien leading football operations and director of player personnel Matt Bazirgan and director of college scouting James Liipfert working on the front office side and reporting to O’Brien.
• Breer says the Texans were clearly targeting Patriots executive Nick Caserio and it might make more sense to wait a year and go after him again when his contract expires following the 2020 NFL draft.