Texans Are Expected To Be Really Good, But GM Nick Caserio Doesn't Want To Hear It

If you haven't been paying attention, you'll get the drift pretty quickly once the entire NFL reports to training camp by next week that the Houston Texans are expected to be a big deal this coming season.

How else to put it when the club vaulted from last place in the AFC South in 2022 to first place in 2023, did it with quarterback C.J. Stroud winning the offensive rookie of the year award while setting five different NFL records or milestones, and the club won a playoff game in its return to the postseason after a four-year absence?

HOUSTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 13: C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans reacts as he takes the field prior to an NFL wild-card playoff football game between the Houston Texans and the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium on January 13, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Texans Expected To Be Contenders

Pretty impressive for a team that not long ago was hiring and firing multiple head coaches as if scrolling through a phone, was sideswiped by the Deshaun Watson controversy, and was simply an afterthought.

That's obviously changed, and it bears noticing the Texans followed last season's epiphany of a season with a very productive offseason.

The club added 1,000-yard receiver Stefon Diggs, 1,000-yard running back Joe Mixon, premier edge rusher Danielle Hunter, and accomplished interior defensive lineman Denico Autry this offseason.

That's alotta talent and potential general manager Nick Caserio has stacked on the roster. 

So expectations in Houston are flying high. Excitement is thick. Great things are on the horizon for the 2024 Texans.

Right, Nick? Fired up, right?

Jan 1, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio walks on the field before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Nick Caserio Not Embracing High Expectations

Yeah, um, no.

"I think anything that's really discussed outside of the building doesn't have any relevance to us," Caserio said Thursday morning in his training camp opening press conference. "I mean, I think that's honestly something for you all to have fun with and for the guys at 610 [local sportstalk radio] to talk about on the radio. I mean, we're not spending any time on things that really, quite frankly, don't matter."

This is the part where folks who are on fire run to Caserio. Because he's awesome at throwing wet towels on things. And he's got a huge, drenched blanket for any "ridiculous" – his word – talk of championships or high expectations. 

"Our expectations are for the players is to come in, have a good attitude, put the foundation in place, be a great teammate, be resilient because we're going to face some things as a team," Caserio said. "We're going to face some things individually. And put the best version of yourself on the field each day.

"So, I mean, the results will take care of themselves. What's said outside the building, it has no impact on what we do. Talking never won games. Expectations never won games. Good football and good execution win football games. Ultimately, that's what it's going to come down to. 

"So, the rest of it, honestly, it's a big waste of time for us to spend time on things that don't matter or that we don't control. We're going to focus on the controllables."

Feb 2, 2023; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans head coach Demeco Ryans (center) holds a jersey while posing for a photo with owner Cal McNair (left) and general manager Nick Caserio (right) during the introductory press conference at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

Texans Assignment Is Focus On Selves

I don't know that controllables in the plural form is a word in common vernacular. But NFL people use it to describe things that can be managed or governed or, well, controlled.

And what are those for the Texans?

"Our attitude and our effort on a day-to-day basis," Caserio said. "Our purposeful work that we put in. How intentional we are about our work. How quickly can we move on? How resilient can we be? Go out and have a good practice. If we have a bad practice, how quickly can we take the coaching? How quickly can we move on to the next thing. 

"The focus in training camp is really more about the Texans and the individual improvement and team development. Once we get to the regular-season, then it's going to be about the opponent and week-to-week and some of the challenges that we face and it's going to be different each week. 

"So, the focus right now is really on us and try to get off to a good start and put a good foundation in place, build on some of the things we did during the course of the spring."

Jan 13, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio before a 2024 AFC wild card game against the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Caserio: High Rankings Are ‘Ridiculous’

Caserio must be a blast on New Year's when people look ahead to the coming year and think big and raise expectations and hopes for themselves.

Anyway, Caserio wants his team to basically ignore the grand possibilities others entertain about the Texans. The guy worked for years under former Patriots coach Bill Belichick, so that's where this all comes from:

Ignore the outside noise. Even when that noise is praise or hopefulness. 

"We can't control what somebody else thinks," Casiero said. "What some ridiculous ranking that doesn't matter thinks, or memes. We're going to focus on the Texans, we're going to focus on trying to improve ourselves individually and collectively on a day-to-day basis."