Houston Texans

Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio says he is "absolutely open" to bringing back Stefon Diggs next season.

The veteran receiver, who suffered a torn ACL on Oct. 27, will hit free agency when the league year begins in just over three weeks.

“I had a good relationship with Stef and his representation. We enjoyed having Stef in the building. So, the door is always open," Caserio told Seth Payne and Sean Pendergast in an appearance on Audacy's Sports Radio 610 (h/t USA Today's Nick Brinkerhoff.) "A number of players have expressed sentiments and interest in potentially returning to our team next season. We never rule anything out, so we're going to be open-minded."

Caserio continued: “Things will probably pick up here over the next few weeks... we’ll probably have a pretty good idea of kind of where everybody is going to situate and what the market looks like."

Free agency officially begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 12.

The Texans will need to find some wide receiving depth behind Nico Collins this offseason after Tank Dell suffered a significant knee injury on Dec. 21.

It is not yet clear when Dell will be able to return, but NFL Network's Ian Rapoport previously reported that the wideout could miss the entire 2025 season.

The Texans sent out a package that included a 2025 second-round pick to acquire Diggs from the Bills ahead of the 2024 season, then reworked the final three years of his contract into a one-season deal.

Diggs was likely looking to earn another long-term deal in his contract year, but he ended up playing only eight games prior to his season-ending injury. He finished the campaign with 47 catches for 496 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.

Texans quarterback CJ Stroud has said he wants Diggs back next season. His recovery timeline from the ACL injury, as well as potential interest from other teams, could ultimately the likelihood he returns for a second season in Houston.

Given the uncertainty surrounding both Diggs and Dell, the Texans could also consider targeting a wide receiver with the No. 25 pick of the 2025 NFL draft.

Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. may be feeling snubbed after Thursday's NFL Honors.

Stingley did not finish as a finalist for the 2025 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award, which was awarded to Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II.

Following the announcement. Stingley took to social media to post a meme referencing LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers' historic comeback during the 2016 NBA Finals.

Surtain won the award over Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun. He is the first defensive back to win the award since Stephon Gilmore in 2019.

This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis.

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The Houston Texans hired Nick Caley as their new offensive coordinator on Monday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.

Caley served as a tight ends coach on the Los Angeles Rams over the past two seasons and also operated as the Rams' passing game coordinator in 2024.

He'll be replacing Bobby Slowik in Houston, as Slowik was fired following the Texans' 23-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Caley has experience as a member of the New England Patriots' coaching staff from 2015-22 as well.

He started as an offensive assistant before he became New England's tight ends coach from 2017 through 2022. He also coached fullbacks for five seasons throughout his tenure with the Patriots.

During Caley's final season with the Rams in 2024, Los Angeles owned the NFL's No. 10 passing attack.

Houston interviewed several candidates for its offensive coordinator vacancy including Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, Syracuse offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis, Minnesota Vikings assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski, Texans senior offensive assistant Bill Lazor and Washington Commanders passing game coordinator Brian Johnson (h/t Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle).

Despite wrapping up a second consecutive divisional-round playoff appearance in 2024, Houston's offense took a notable step back compared to its first year under Slowik.

The Texans' averages of 342.4 yards and 22.2 points per game in 2023 both decreased to 319.7 yards and 21.9 points per game this past season.

C.J. Stroud wasn't able to build upon his stellar rookie season, recording just 219.2 passing yards per game. He also threw 12 interceptions in 17 games after he was picked off just five times in 15 starts as a rookie.

As Houston looks to make a third consecutive playoff appearance and get its offense back on track in 2025, Caley will now reportedly take over.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud capped off his second NFL season with a mention from Travis Scott.

The song "Houstatlantaville" by EST Gee, Lil Baby and Travis Scott features the line "In the 7 / quarterbacking like I'm C.J.," as noted by Sam Warren of the Houston Chronicle.

The song is featured on EST Gee's new album I Ain't Feeling You, which was released last Friday.

This isn't the first time Stroud, who was selected by the Texans with the No. 2 pick of the 2023 draft, has been connected to Scott, a Houston native.

Stroud participated in Scott's celebrity softball game last February, and later joined Scott and other celebrities including Tom Brady in playing beach volleyball ahead of Michael Rubin's annual White Party last July.

The Texans quarterback recently followed up his Pro Bowl rookie campaign by leading the Texans to 10 regular-season wins and a Wild Card round win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

After Houston's playoffs ended with a Divisional round loss to the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, Stroud will look to take the Texans on a deeper run next winter when he returns for his third NFL season.

Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. reportedly could be in line for a payday that tops the one Pat Surtain II enjoyed with the Denver Broncos in September.

"Pat Surtain II's four-year, $96 million deal with the Broncos is likely Stingley's target as the Texans are expected to make his extension a top offseason priority," ESPN's Dan Graziano reported Friday.

Graziano suggested the Texans could "tear up the 2025 and 2026" years on Stingley's current deal and sign him to a new one that some around the league believe would "top Surtain's $24 million annual average and his $77.5 million in guarantees."

Surtain is 24 years old and one of the best cornerbacks in the league, so it would make sense the 23-year-old Stingley would see him as a comparison point in his own negotiations.

Houston selected the LSU product with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2022 NFL draft, and he has quickly lived up to expectations as one of the franchise's building blocks alongside C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins and Will Anderson Jr.

Stingley was a First-Team All-Pro selection and Pro Bowler this season with 54 tackles, 18 passes defended and five interceptions. He was consistently trusted to defend the opponent's best receiver and was up to the challenge far more often than not.

That he was so effective in just his third season suggests he could only get better, which is troubling news for AFC wide receivers.

It is also news that suggests the Texans should jump at the chance to sign him to a lengthy extension even if it costs more than the Broncos paid to keep Surtain.

Brian Johnson helped lead a one-year turnaround for the Washington Commanders as their passing-game coordinator and reportedly caught the eye of the Houston Texans in the process.

Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reported Thursday that the Texans requested to interview Johnson for their vacant offensive coordinator position.

Houston needs a new OC after it fired Bobby Slowik following the 2024 campaign.

Things were looking up for Slowik as the O.C. in 2023 when C.J. Stroud took home the Offensive Rookie of the Year and the Texans made the playoffs. However, the offense took a step back in 2024 and finished 22nd in yards and 19th in points as Stroud was sacked 52 times and pressured on 28 percent of his dropbacks, which was highest in the league for those with more than seven starts.

The Texans still managed to win the AFC South and reach the AFC Divisional Round of the playoffs, but the offense will need to be much better moving forward if they are going to realistically challenge the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens in the conference.

Perhaps Johnson will be the answer who helps them do just that.

After collegiate stops with Utah, Mississippi State, Houston and Florida, he was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterbacks coach in 2021 and 2022 before he was promoted to O.C. in 2023. The Eagles reached the Super Bowl during the 2022 campaign when he was working with Jalen Hurts.

Their offense was also effective when he was the O.C. last season and finished eighth in the league in points and seventh in yards.

The statistical success continued for Johnson after he joined the Commanders in his new role. They selected Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick, and he is well on his way to winning Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Daniels led the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game in their first winning season since the 2016 campaign.

Houston also has a young quarterback with a bright future in Stroud and may see this as a chance to pair him with an O.C. who has helped other signal-callers thrive in recent years.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud will be working with a new offensive coordinator after Bobby Slowik was fired two seasons into his tenure.

On Monday, Lance Zierlein of ESPN 97.5 recalled a story in which Stroud and Slowik got into a "contentious" confrontation at a 2023 pre-draft meeting regarding terminology, to the point where the ex-Ohio State star told another team that his sitdown with the Texans was "terrible."

In essence, the two were talking X's and O's, and Stroud referred to some terms by how they called things at Ohio State.

"Maybe it happened a couple times," Zierlein said regarding Stroud's remarks. "And Bobby Slowik just kind of jumped him, said, 'I don't give a f--k what you call it at Ohio State. This is pro football.' And Bobby kind of got in his face about it."

"And C.J.'s not one to back down at all," Zierlein added. "I don't know if Bobby was testing him, I don't know what the deal was. But C.J. jumped up and got in his face. And it was very contentious. It had to kind of be broken up."

Zierlein also reported earlier in the conversation that Stroud's relationship with Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson was such that "he didn't think he knew ball," to the point where he'd communicate directly with head coach Ryan Day instead.

Then the next team Stroud visited asked him how his visit went with the Texans, and he said his meeting was "terrible" and that he didn't think he'd be drafted there.

He was, in fact, drafted there and won Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2023 while leading Houston to a seven-win improvement, an AFC South title and a spot in the AFC Divisional round. The Texans finished 13th in scoring (up from 30th the year before), and Slowik became a hot head coaching name.

The Texans had the same exact results as a team in 2024 (10 wins, AFC South title, AFC Wild Card win), but the offense regressed to 19th in scoring. Stroud took a step back statistically, although he wasn't helped by a struggling offensive line.

Significant injuries to wide receiver Stefon Diggs (season-ending torn ACL after eight games), wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring injury that put him on injured reserve for five games) and wideout Tank Dell (dislocated knee cap as well as a torn ACL, MCL and PCL on Dec. 21) also hit the team hard. Running back Joe Mixon also missed three games with a right ankle injury after a hip-drop tackle.

In the end, Slowik is gone, and now Stroud will work with a new OC as the team looks to take that next step past the Divisional Round.

Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. and linebacker Henry To'oTo'o didn't receive fines for their hits on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

During the Texans' 23-14 loss to the Chiefs in the divisional round of the playoffs, Anderson and To'oTo'o were both penalized for separate controversial hits on Mahomes.

Pelissero noted that the league's decision wasn't an "admission of an officiating error," but neither play was worthy of an unnecessary roughness fine.

Both flags were costly for Houston.

Anderson's penalty occurred during an incomplete pass on third down with the Chiefs inside their own territory. After the drive was extended, Kansas City was able to pick up two more first downs before kicking a 36-yard field goal and taking a 6-3 lead.

With the Texans trailing by one point late in the third quarter, To'oTo'o's penalty came on a drive that ended with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to Travis Kelce.

Neither player was pleased with the officiating after the game.

"We knew it was going to be us versus the refs going into this game," Anderson said, per ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime.

To'oTo'o also expressed his dissatisfaction.

"It makes me mad," To'oTo'o said following the loss. "But it is what it is, honestly. Nothing much you can do."

"As soon as the quarterback leaves the pocket, he's a runner," he explained. "And he gets treated as a runner, in my opinion. So, runners slide, and get hit, and stuff like that doesn't happen."

To'oTo'o recorded seven tackles in the defeat while Anderson racked up four tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks.

The Texans have finished with a 10-7 record and made it to the divisional round of the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, but they haven't been able to advance further.

While Anderson and To'oTo'o both picked up penalties for hitting Mahomes during Houston's playoff defeat, the contact wasn't enough to warrant a fine for either player.

After a frustrating offensive season for the Houston Texans, head coach DeMeco Ryans is making a major change to his coaching staff going into 2025.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Bobby Slowik is out as Houston's offensive coordinator after two seasons. Offensive line coach Chris Strausser will also not be retained.

The Texans seemed poised to join the ranks of the AFC elites this season after a terrific 2023 campaign. C.J. Stroud had a historic rookie season with 4,108 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions in 15 starts.

However, the offense took a significant step back in 2024. Stroud was sacked 52 times and pressured on 28 percent of his dropbacks, the highest rate in the NFL for any quarterback who made at least 10 starts.

They finished in the bottom 11 in expected points added per dropback, expected points added per carry, passing success rate and rushing success rate.

The Texans' divisional-round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs was emblematic of some of the problems they had this season. Stroud was sacked eight times, with three coming on plays where the Chiefs player who got to him was initially blocked by tight end Dalton Schultz.

Some of the struggles can be attributed to injuries and poor performances. Star wide receiver Nico Collins missed five games in the middle of the season with a hamstring injury. Stefon Diggs tore his ACL in Week 8. Tank Dell suffered a major knee injury in a Christmas Day loss to Kansas City.

Laremy Tunsil, who had been regarded as one of the best left tackles in the NFL coming into this season, was the second-most penalized offensive lineman in 2024.

There was not just one individual problem with the Texans' offense this season, but the compounding issues over time made it hard to imagine a scenario in which Slowik returned.

The Texans will now get to work finding a new offensive coordinator for what should be an attractive position with Stroud entering his third season.