Casserly resigns as Texans GM

[bigboydan]

as well he should have been.

this guy single handly screwed up the texans draft, and managed to have roughly 6,000 season ticket holders cancel there season tickets, if the rumors are correct.

[slacker00]

Wow. Horrendous timing. What exactly were circumstances? Health related? Must've been something odd for him to resign all of the sudden.

[Willie Bee]

What a putz! A spineless, gutless, yellow-bellied jellyfish!

To make this decision now, apparently without any warning, just plain blows. If he was even leaning in this direction before the draft, it should have been communicated to owner Bob McNair who then should have put someone else in charge of the draft.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2440274

HOUSTON -- Houston Texans general manager Charley Casserly resigned Wednesday, ending months of speculation that intensified in recent weeks after the team used the No. 1 pick to draft defensive end Mario Williams.

Casserly had been with the Texans since the expansion franchise joined the league six years ago. The Texans played their first season in 2002.

"I've been in this league 29 years," Casserly said. "I spent a lot of time talking about this with my family. We came to the same conclusion -- the time was right to move on."

Casserly met with Texans owner Bob McNair on Wednesday morning, telling McNair he wanted to pursue a job in the NFL office in New York. He also met with the Texans' coaching staff and contacted Houston's scouts.

Casserly will officially step down on June 1.

"I have an interest in doing other things right now," Casserly said.

McNair said Casserly was not fired. He said he had no replacement candidates in mind.

"I have talked to no one. I have no list," McNair said.

Candidates for the opening in Houston are expected to include former Atlanta Falcons personnel chief Ron Hill and current Denver Broncos director of pro scouting Rick Smith.

The Texans went 2-14 in 2005, prompting the firing of Dom Capers, the franchise's first coach. Gary Kubiak was hired and was disappointed to see Casserly go.

"I have grown very fond of him," Kubiak said. "We had a lot of work to do to try to get this thing headed in the right direction. We've had a good four months together. I wish it would be longer, but I understand the business."

Casserly, 57, joined the Texans in 2000, after 23 years with the Washington Redskins. He started with the Redskins as an unpaid intern under Hall of Fame coach George Allen and was hired as a scout the next season.

The Redskins elevated Casserly to assistant general manager in 1982, the year the franchise won its first Super Bowl. Casserly became Washington's GM in 1989. Casserly's first big move came in 2002, when the Texans drafted David Carr. He also participated in the search that landed Kubiak.

Casserly said he wanted to stay with the team through the NFL draft, but he and the Texans drew plenty of criticism when they selected Williams -- and not Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush or University of Texas star Vince Young.

Casserly defended the decision on Wednesday, promising the Texans would quickly improve.

"Our record is what our record is," Casserly said. "But I think this ballclub will make a dramatic jump this year in caliber of play. Eventually, the wins will come. With the offseason we had, I feel really good about it."

Kubiak said the Texans now face a pivotal decision in finding Casserly's successor.

"This is a huge hire for our organization," he said. "There's a lot of good things going on. The key thing is we have to do our homework and make sure they keep heading in that direction. This person has to be a great fit for what's happening right now with the Houston Texans."

[The Great One]

This has been coming for awhile now. No surprise. Even the organization knew about this before the draft.

What's more fuked up is that the owner McNair says the Coach (Kubiak) is responsible for the Mrio Williams pick and Kubiak says McNair and Casserly were responsible for it.

If they could not have worked out a trade that would give them 2 1st and 2 2nd rounders, this was the best move, drafting Williams. Most don't realize that because they don't know how the game really works. Having a player like Mario Williams makes your entire front 7 better and even Dunta Robinson at the corner is a good player himself so this should make their entire defense stronger.

It's an easier decision tham most relaize, but like I say, people just don't understand.

[pags11]

anyone that didn't draft Reggie Bush number one, when he was clearly the best overall player in the draft deserves to not have a job...

[The Great One]

Bush will be fortunate if he's still in the league by 2012. RB's career is over at 30. Williams will make more sacks for fumbles than Bush will kick off returns of punt returns for touchdowns. He's also more susceptable to injury. They have many needs and one of the few area not of need is running back.

Bush runs away from people. RB's don't do that in the NFL. He's also not the best blocking back and that's extremely important in the NFL, especially for a team that needs all the blockers they can like the Texans.

Bush may be a fine pro, but I think this was the right choice for them. The Colts defense was horrible and when they drafted Freeney, it gave them a couple extra possessions a game and a extra turnover every 2 games or so.

[slacker00]

Good info, TGO. Casserly helped the Texans through the critical stage of the 2006 draft and will now move on to his next job in the NFL office. This is starting to make more sense. No reason for alarm in Houston, except that they need a new GM. At least things are in good order for the next GM to take over and plenty of time to plan for the critical 2007 draft.

[The Great One]

What really seperates Bush from Dante Hall? I could see him being that type of player. Certainly not worth the #1 overall though. I think more people are coming around though. I knew it all along.

I'd love to put my name in the hat for texans GM. It's one of those millionaire cake jobs that will go to some 50 year old that has no clear understanding of the game but plalyed back in the 70's so they think that automatically qualifies him.

I would guarantee a Super Bowl with the Texans in 5 years if I was GM. Thats at the most how long it would take.

I can evaluate talent really well. The only player I've missed on going into the draft is Tim Couch and I still think he could have been a great quarterback. But look at that scenario. he had unstable and horrible coaching(where is Chris Palmer now). His best receiver was Kevin Jonhson who is now the 5th receiver on the Detroit freakin Lions team. Never had a running back. They drafted William Green and are still waiting for him to pan out as his carries diminsih year in and year .

Thats the only player I missed on. Everyone else I had called. If Couch would have gone some place like Pitt, they would have still won the Super Bowl.

[Razz]

If they could not have worked out a trade that would give them 2 1st and 2 2nd rounders, this was the best move, drafting Williams.

Exactly. If I was their GM, the first two players I would have wanted would have been Mario W or D'brickashaw Ferguson.

Although, something like #4 and a 2nd and 4th round would have been good enough for me - I still get DF, and can get other linemen or whatever else later.

[slacker00]

(where is Chris Palmer now).

He's coaching under Parcells in Dallas as "passing game coordinator". *coughs*

As for Reggie Bush, I think he's a great talent and will be a great addition for any team. But, a team like the Texans have a lot of needs besides a high-end RB/KR. The Saints taking Bush at #2 overall actually makes sense for them, and Bush could do great there. I think the Saints could do a lot of damage with Brees and Bush next season, with a more complete core of players around them. Houston is further away than that. New Orleans still has issues relating to the katrina disaster, and I think are still one year away from rebounding.

[The Great One]

Watch New Orleans early next year for alot of "overs".

They have a ridiculously weak defense with absolutely zero linebackers. Finally have a quarterback, have 2 upper eschalant receivers, annd a healthy #1 running back combined with a player the entire league has not been able to game plan for yet.

The only question for them is how will Brees do without a tight end? Having a great tight end can make an average quarterback look pretty good.