The Houston Texans have a general manager vacancy opening, and the club isn’t just going to let executive vice president of football operations Jack Easterby drop the “interim” tag.
With the Texans taking a broad spectrum look at general manager candidates, one name that ought to be at the top of their list, according to Mark Schofield from the Touchdown Wire, is Kansas City Chiefs personnel executive Chris Shea.
That starts with finding the right person as the general manager. Anytime [general manager] becomes available with the Texans, the first name to come to mind is Nick Caserio, currently in a front office role with the New England Patriots. When the organization fired Bill O’Brien, Caserio was one of the names I recommended.
Then I read a piece by Dan Hatman on Touchdown Wire, part of his yearly look at how teams hire GMs and names to consider. Full disclosure, I have known Dan for years, I have worked with him, I have attended his Scouting Academy program, and there is no one I trust more on this planet when it comes to the personnel side of the league.
In that piece, this description struck me of a potential GM candidate this cycle: “No one better qualified or more versed. Scout, cap, lawyer. I think he coached a bit. Most qualified candidate I’ve ever seen.” Then this description: “His background and experience spreads so wide from player negotiations, staff negotiations, understanding the cap, figuring how to use data, both pro and college evaluations, even legal aspects with the college process.”
Those quotes? They were about Chris Shea, currently serving as the football operations counsel and personnel executive with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The [Texans] need a wholesale culture change at the top, and they need to get the GM spot right. They also need to navigate this offseason with cap concerns and a lack of draft capital. They need someone to wear many hats. Shea can do that and more.
Where the Chiefs have Shea currently is managing the team’s salary cap and also working as a legal executive. Shea got his start with the New York Jets under general manager Bill Parcells. Shea also worked in the Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, and Philadelphia Eagles front offices.
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