The Houston Texans have chosen their new head coach almost four months after firing Bill O’Brien last October.
The problem for the team and new head coach David Culley now will be who will be his quarterback when the next season starts.
Deshaun Watson has already formally filed for his team swap less than 24 hours after Culley was appointed coach and a few weeks after he threatened to do so because the club failed to honor its promise to involve him with the general manager, according to several versions. selection process.
The new coach was sure of the responsibility he was taking on in accepting the job. It is likely that he accepted without losing much, but much to gain, if the situation and the team’s rebuild can be handled with or without Watson.
At age 65, Culley becomes the oldest to make his debut as a head coach in the NFL, having spent the past 26 seasons as an assistant in the league, including the final two catchers and passing game coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens.
If Watson was surprised that the Texans named Nick Caserio general manager, the situation was certainly more puzzling when he learned that the coordinator of a foul that was the fourth worst in the NFL by passing, the Ravens, will be his new head. trainer.
Baltimore’s success on offense for the past two seasons has been on the run … Watson is a passing quarterback, who can run, but only as a tool in his game, not a primary weapon.
He had his best individual statistical season in 2020, despite his team’s failure at 4-12, ending the reign of O’Brien, who was coach and general manager, and as a result of a series of very bad decisions from previous years.
Watson passed for 4,823 yards, 33 touchdowns, 8.9 yards average per shipment and just seven interceptions on a team that won just four games last season and traded its best receiver, one of the best in the league, DeAndre Hopkins, for the only average. receivers down.
“Sorry”, teammate JJ Watt told him when they left the field together after the last game of the season. “We wasted one of your years. I mean we should have had 11 wins. “
The Texans need players on both sides of the ball after O’Brien left them as GM.
The relationship with Watson seems to have been so severed that a few hours after the new coach is appointed, he officially asks for his team change and remains silent with the general manager or owner, Cal McNair.
For Culley, it will also be uncomfortable to work on a team, whose leader has shown complete exasperation in the hiring process and who everyone knew preferred Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieneimy as coach.
The Texans must take advantage of Watson’s great moment, throwing his “Hail Mary” to exchange it for multiple collegiate selections from high rounds and players with NFL experience.
They have to do it now, because everything indicates that it will be a virtual low season again.
The Texans have eight options so far in the next version, but none in the first or second round due to O’Brien’s negotiations to tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Kenny Stills, who is no longer on the team.