TOP CANDIDATES FOR TEXANS
Let's examine the Texans candidates for head coach and GM
Dec 26, 2020, 3:36 pm
Here's who they have met with so far. Photo by Getty Images.
Watch Texans GM candidate Louis Riddick talk about culture being just as important as QB
The Houston Texans search committee to find candidates for their vacant general manager and coaching positions has landed on some interesting candidates.
Jim Caldwell (Head Coach candidate)
Texans fans will be quick to reject the idea of Jim Caldwell as the next head coach because his recent head coaching tenure ended with thuds. He fails the “What have you done lately?" test. Fans would not be wrong in Caldwell's case.
I understand what Texans owner Cal McNair is thinking. Jim Caldwell has coached some of the more talent quarterbacks the NFL has seen in recent years. But despite star quarterbacks, Caldwell didn't have much success on the bottom line. He was head coach for the Detroit Lions from 2014 to 2017, reaching the playoffs twice but ultimately fell short of bringing that franchise a Super Bowl trophy with Matthew Stafford in prime years. After two years out of the league, he signed on as Miami Dolphins quarterbacks coach, where, some suspect the Dolphins were in a must lose situation to be in position to draft Tua Tagovailoa.
It would be wrong to say there is not a place for Caldwell in the Texans organization. He would be an upgrade to replace offensive coordinator Tim Kelly when this season mercifully ends. Caldwell had success during his helm as Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks coach and assistant head coach under Tony Dungy when Peyton Manning flourished from 2002-2008. In 2009 the Colts made him the head coach, where he wore out his welcome with a 2-14 record in 2011 and was fired. Caldwell moved on to take the role as Baltimore Ravens quarterbacks coach where he won a Super Bowl ring in 2012 with Joe Flacco under center.
Jim Caldwell as a quarterback coach? If you are Cal McNair, it is something to think about. But Caldwell wasn't interviewing for the quarterbacks coach position. He wants the top job.
There is no doubt Caldwell's interview was urged by Dungy who Cal McNair is using for advice in the coaching search. Caldwell's days coaching under Dungy extend even before their Colts connection, when Caldwell was Dungy's quarterback coach in Tampa Bay in 2001. With Brad Johnson as quarterback, the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl in 2003.
Jim Caldwell, the quarterback coach, has found success all over the league. He is yet to prove his value as a head coach in the NFL.
Marvin Lewis (Head Coach candidate)
Marvin Lewis interviewed for the Texans head coaching vacancy earlier in this week. Contrary to Caldwell, Lewis has been known for his expertise on the defensive side of the ball. He has coached some of the most dangerous defensive fronts in the NFL, most notably the 2000 Super Bowl-winning Baltimore Ravens led by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis. He was the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals from 2003 to 2018, and the Texans dealt him wild-card losses in 2011 and 2012. He currently serves as the co-defensive coordinator at Arizona State.
The Texans could use Lewis' defensive mind to help rebuild a defense that is in shambles. Maybe we see Lewis as a defensive assistant before handing him the head coach job so fast. I'm not head-over-boots about any coach Bill O'Brien was able to beat so frequently.
Matt Bazirgan (General Manager candidate)
Texans' director of player personnel Matt Bazirgan was interviewed for the general manager role. The only reason Cal McNair might look to hire a general manager internally is so he has an excuse to keep current vice president of football operations (or “pastor") Jack Easterby, who has received a torrent of blame for the downfall of the Texans this season.
If the Texans are searching for long-term success, they will steer clear of searching within the current regime.
Louis Riddick (General Manager candidate)
Louis Riddick is the current analyst for ESPN, and is a favorite for every general manager opening around the league. Does Riddick have what it takes to rescue the Texans sinking ship?
Riddick has a fair share of experience with NFL personnel. He was the director of pro personnel for the Washington Redskins from 2005-2007, and was also the director of pro personnel for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2010-2013. He did not have the strongest personnel with either organization, but at least Riddick is a candidate with experience, and his rich knowledge for the game is heard every Monday night. It's safe to say Riddick is the best candidate for the Texans general manager job out of the bunch that have interviewed.
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The Houston Texans are entering the 2025 NFL Draft with a roster on the rise and a franchise quarterback in C.J. Stroud—but what happens next is anything but certain.
Draft experts are calling this year’s class one of the most difficult to project, especially in the back half of the first round, where opinions on prospects vary widely. For the Texans, who hold the No. 25 overall pick, this presents both opportunity and risk. With no glaring positional holes but several areas in need of long-term upgrades, Houston’s approach will provide insight into how the front office views its roster—and, more specifically, how it plans to protect its most valuable asset: Stroud.
Stroud was sacked 52 times last season, second only to Chicago's Caleb Williams. That reality underscores the Texans’ top priority heading into the draft: fortifying the offensive line. How they do that could reveal what they truly think of tackle Blake Fisher and whether Tytus Howard’s future lies at guard or tackle.
A number of linemen are on the Texans’ radar for their first-round pick, including Alabama interior mauler Tyler Booker, versatile North Dakota State tackle Gray Zabel, and Oregon’s athletic pass protector Josh Conerly. Texas standout Kelvin Banks and Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson also bring physicality and pedigree, while Josh Simmons of Ohio State is a long-term project coming off a torn patellar tendon.
Still, wide receiver is the other major position of interest. If Houston opts to go wideout in the first round, names like Arizona’s Tet McMillan, Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka, Missouri’s Luther Burden, and Texas' Matthew Golden offer a blend of polish, upside, and explosiveness.
A best-case scenario? The Texans land an offensive lineman in the first round and then leverage their extra third-round pick to trade up for a sliding receiver like Burden early in the second. That would give Houston immediate trench help and another weapon for Stroud without having to choose between the two priorities.
No matter what direction the Texans go, this year’s draft is set to be the most unpredictable of the Stroud era. And that might be just how Nick Caserio and DeMeco Ryans like it.
We have so much more to cover. Don't miss the video below as the crew from Texans on Tap discusses all the topics above and much more!
And be sure to watch our live reaction to the Texans' first round pick this Thursday night on our SportsMap Texans YouTube channel!
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