O'Brien - Staying or Going?

[Warren]

Packers Director of Player Personnel Brian Gutekunst is an interesting candidate. Green Bay GM Ted Thompson was pushed into an advisory position and capologist Russ Ball is the favorite to take over. That would involve denying Gutekunst and Director of Football Operations Eliot (son of Ron) Wolf, even though they both are considered ready to be GMs and may no longer be content to wait for that job to open back up. Gutekunst was reportedly very impressive in an interview with the 49ers last year before withdrawing from consideration.

The Packers have historically used a draft-and-develop strategy and have not been big players in the free agent market. They have tended to sign free agents who had been cut by other teams because those signings don't count against them in the rules for awarding compensatory picks, and as a result have received more of those extra picks than any team but the Ravens. This philosophy has been criticized recently, which is why Thompson is out. The Texans would need to do a better job drafting, especially after the first round, to make this approach work.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Warren

Packers Director of Player Personnel Brian Gutekunst is an interesting candidate.

Gutekunst has been retained by Green Bay before he even made it the interview with Houston.

The Eagles and Patriots have declined to let their guys interview (before their playoff runs end, respectively). Cowboys Will McClay is staying in Dallas.

So I think that leaves Brian Gaine unless the Texans are willing to wait.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Keith

Gutekunst has been retained by Green Bay before he even made it the interview with Houston.

The Eagles and Patriots have declined to let their guys interview (before their playoff runs end, respectively). Cowboys Will McClay is staying in Dallas.

So I think that leaves Brian Gaine unless the Texans are willing to wait.

It's ridiculous that teams can turn down interviews for front office guys because of playoff games. The front office guys are done with their 2017 jobs and they will be busier in a month then they are now, so why wait for an interview.

[HPF Bob]

Rick Smith is getting paid and I don't begrudge him for it. Even with his worst mistakes he is at least league average at his job and has longer than league average tenure and league average results. It's not his fault there aren't 32 better GMs then him. He's like the Andy Dalton of GMs.

General managers (in that title) don't call plays. They don't stand on the sidelines in the summer heat or the harsh winter cold and try to motivate their troops. They aren't judged on wins and losses, except indirectly. They are like glorified accountants.

Sure, they are involved in the draft and they try to fit players under an arbitrary salary cap with a bunch of loopholes but, like I said, glorified accountants. I could hire Roy Pickett as my GM and do as well as Rick Smith.

If being a GM was so difficult, Matt Millen couldn't have done it.

[Warren]

Originally Posted by barrett

It's ridiculous that teams can turn down interviews for front office guys because of playoff games. The front office guys are done with their 2017 jobs and they will be busier in a month then they are now, so why wait for an interview.

I agree for the most part. FWIW, from March 1 through the end of the draft, teams also need permission before they can talk to a GM candidate who is under contract with another organization.

I wonder if the Texans have any interest in Eliot Wolf since he didn’t get the Packers GM job.

I don’t see any reason for them not to wait until they’ve had a chance to talk to the guys with Patriots and Eagles. I like what I’ve read about Joe Douglas, and there’s a good chance he’ll be available to interview next week.

[Arky]

Texans plan to hire Brian Gaine as new GM, extend contract of coach Bill O'Brien

The Texans are in negotiations to hire Brian Gaine as general manager and sign coach Bill O'Brien to a contract extension.

Gaine, Buffalo's vice president of player personnel, interviewed Tuesday.

Once Gaine's deal is official, the Texans are hoping to have O'Brien's extension wrapped up, too.

O'Brien has one year left on his contract and needs to hire six new assistant coaches because of firings, one retirement and one voluntary departure on his staff.

O'Brien and his staff are coaching in the Senior Bowl in two weeks. If he has an extension, it'll be easier for him to hire better assistants. Senior Bowl week is a job fair for out-of-work assistant coaches.

Gaine, who worked as director of pro personnel and director of player personnel for three years (2014-16) under former general manager Rick Smith, had an impressive interview Tuesday.

Really starting to sound like Rick Smith will never have the GM duties any more....

[HPF Bob]

It could also just be sloppy reporting. The news is who's being added not who's being subtracted.

[nunusguy]

The Texans have hired Brian Gaine as their new general manager to replace Rick Smith, and they have extended the contract of coach Bill O'Brien.

Gaine, who was Buffalo's vice president of player personnel, is getting a five-year contract. O'Brien is getting a four-year extension.

Owner Bob McNair also promoted vice president of administration Chris Olsen to senior vice president of administration and gave him a four-year extension that will place his contract in line with Gaine and O'Brien.

"It's a great time for our organization," coach Bill O'Brien said. "I'm really happy. I can't Bob and (vice chairman) Cal McNair enough.

"This is really important. It's all about continuity and stability. We have a great core group of staff members we really believe in."

Gaine will have control of personnel and football operations. O'Brien will continue to control his coaching staff as well as who plays and doesn't play on game days.

O'Brien had one year left on his contract.
http://www.chron.com/sports/texans/a...ipid=happening