More Updates Regarding Texans’ Decision To Fire GM Brian Gaine

Here’s a collection of notes regarding the Texans and their GM search after surprisingly firing Brian Gaine on Friday. 

• Ian Rapoport reports that his understanding of the situation is that there was no one incident that led to this move. Per Rapoport, Houston did an evaluation of its football operations and believes Gaine was not good enough. 
• Per Tom Pelissero, if the Texans looks to the Patriots for their next hire, Nick Caserio and Monti Ossenfort are worth watching along with former Chiefs GM Scott Pioli.
• Jason La Canfora adds Seahawks executive Trent Kirchner as another name to watch. 
• John McClain mentions that the Texans’ GM search could start with the team making a request to interview Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio, who has ties to HC Bill O’Brien. McClain notes that Caserio was the first candidate the Texans reached out to when they looked to replace Rick Smith last year. 
• According to McClain, executive VP of team development Jack Easterby is close with O’Brien and Caserio and gaining influence within the organization. 
• Tom Pelissero points out that the Texans put in an interview request last year to speak to Eagles VP of player personnel Joe Douglas, but Philadelphia blocked the interview.
• Mike Garafolo clarifies that the Eagles were in the playoffs at the time so that allowed for them to block Douglas from meeting with the Texans. 
• Regarding the decision to fire Gaine, Aaron Wilson says he had a close relationship with O’Brien, which makes the move even more surprising. 
• Wilson admits that the Texans’ free agency was “definitely underwhelming,” but Gaine didn’t have a lot of time to overhaul poor offensive line and secondary.
• Wilson says that one pattern that developed was Texans being outbid in some free agency situations when they had cap space to compete.