Having the No. 2 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft wasn’t enough for Texans general manager Nick Caserio, who spent 20 years mostly in the player personnel department with the New England Patriots before taking the Houston job.
Caserio made sure the Texans were right back on the clock after they chose Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud with the second pick.
Caserio didn’t wait around for the Texans to pick again at No. 12 , executing a trade with the Arizona Cardinals to move up all the way to No. 3. Once in that position, Houston took the first defensive player off draft boards by selecting Alabama outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr.
Of course, that aggressive move from Caserio came at a hefty price for the Texans. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Houston gave up picks No. 12 and No. 33 along with a 2024 first-round pick and a 2024 third-round selection for No. 3 overall and Arizona’s fourth-round pick in this year’s draft.
Caserio, who has been in his role with the Texans since 2021, has accumulated plenty of draft capital over the years, which is probably why he was fine with parting with some of it. The Texans entered the weekend with 11 picks in this draft and still have a first-round pick next year even after trading one to the Cardinals.
The bold trade with the Cardinals might indicate Caserio is feeling pressure to turn things around this season in Houston during his third year on the job. The Texans have gone 7-26 so far during his tenure.
It certainly was a startling move from Caserio, and one his former boss in Bill Belichick in all likelihood never would have even tried to orchestrate.
