Texans GM Nick Caserio Delivers Reality Check Before Trade Deadline

The Houston Texans could be a team to monitor at the 2025 trade deadline, which falls on November 4 this season, following general manager Nick Caserio’s comments during his media availability on Tuesday.

Caserio raised eyebrows during the session, offering an update on running back Joe Mixon.

However, Caserio’s remarks about the rapidly approaching deadline could speak volumes, with the Texans sitting at 2-3 and on their bye in Week 6.

Texans Bracing for 2025 Trade Deadline

Caserio is in his fifth season as the Texans’ general manager. He made it clear that his expectations for significant activity at this year’s trade deadline are low, but he plans to stay nimble.

Caserio said the Texans will “look at” their options at the trade deadline and “have some flexibility.”

The Texans’ GM said it all starts with a “cost-benefit analysis” to do in any deal.

“There’s always a cost. Do a cost-benefit analysis. Not to get into a big economics discussion, but that’s a part of it. So, if you’re going to give something up, what are you getting in return? And if you’re comfortable with that decision, what’s it cost from a contractual standpoint? Some of those types of things. So, try to maintain as much flexibility as possible,” Caserio told reporters on October 7.

“We’re in a decent spot. If there’s a situation out there that we feel makes some sense, and it works out, great. If it doesn’t, then okay. There’s nothing we can do about it, and we’re prepared to handle it with the players that we have here.

Last season, the Texans traded defensive tackle Khalil Davis to the San Francisco 49ers at the deadline.

They traded running back Cam Akers to the Minnesota Vikings in October 2024, some three weeks before the deadline.

“We’re getting close here. You’re starting to see a little bit of jockeying. Teams are losing players. The trade deadline’s call it, three, four weeks away. So, again, I know everybody gets excited about the trade deadline, and, typically, it ends up being more of a whimper than anything else. But, you never know. Every year is a little bit different. So, always be open-minded. I think that’s the one thing I think we’ve shown: we’re open-minded. Be adaptable, be flexible,” Caserio said.

“If there’s a situation that makes sense, great. If there’s not, then kind of keep pressing ahead.”

The Texans have one of the most talented young rosters in the league under Caserio. However, they also have a significant decision to make on quarterback C.J. Stroud, who will be extension-eligible next offseason, that they must keep in mind in any dealings.

Texans’ Track Record Looms Large Before Trade Deadline

According to Spotrac, Caserio has made more than 40 trades to acquire players or draft capital since taking over the Texans’ general manager job in 2021, with two more at the 2024 deadline.

In the last calendar year, the Texans have acquired four players and made seven other trades involving draft capital. Their most recent acquisition was tight end Harrison Bryant from the Philadelphia Eagles in August, amid myriad injuries at the position.

Their dealings have yielded mixed results, too.

Bryant has contributed, and offensive lineman Ed Ingram is a starter at right guard, while wide receiver Christian Kirk is back healthy and helping out of the slot.

However, in addition to Mixon’s absence, the Texans cut safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, whom they acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles this past offseason, before Week 4 against the Tennessee Titans.

The Texans have rattled off back-to-back wins since.

Texans Could Have Quiet Trade Deadline

The list of players the Texans traded for since Caserio’s arrival, but who are no longer with the team, includes offensive linemen Josh Jones, Marcus Cannon, and Shaq Mason. Wide receivers Ben Skoronek and Stefon Diggs are on there, too.

There are others.

So, it stands to reason that the Caserio and the Texans are more likely to stand pat at the trade deadline than swing a deal, especially for the sake of doing so.

Judge Again Rules in Brian Flores’ Favor in Lawsuit Against NFL: Documents

Afederal court has denied the NFL’s request to force the Brian Flores discrimination case into arbitration, meaning the case is set to be litigated in open court.

In August, a three-judge panel ruled that Flores’ claims against the New York Giants, Denver Broncos, and Houston Texans could not be compelled to arbitration overseen by the NFL, though his claims involving the Miami Dolphins could proceed through that process. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on Tuesday declined to grant a full-court rehearing, affirming that those claims must move forward to trial.

The NFL has been involved in a number of legal battles lately, but the ramifications for Flores’ suit going to open court could cause major shockwaves among the league’s majority-Black players.

U.S. Court of AppealsArbitration denied in Brian Flores lawsuit against NFL.

What is Brian Flores Alleging in His Lawsuit?

Flores filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL and three teams in 2022. In the suit, he accused the league of being “rife with racism” in its hiring practices and claimed he faced racial discrimination during his tenure as head coach of the Dolphins. Flores alleged “systemic racial discrimination in the hiring, retention, and termination of NFL coaches and executives.” He further contended that the Broncos and Giants subjected him to “sham” head-coaching interviews, and that the Dolphins and Texans retaliated against him. The Texans were later added to the case after coaches Steve Wilks and Ray Horton joined the lawsuit as co-plaintiffs.

After filing the lawsuit, Flores acknowledged that taking legal action against the NFL could have jeopardized the coaching career he loves. Still, he said the risk was worth it if his efforts could help bring lasting change and challenge systemic racism in the league for future generations.

The NFL has rejected Flores’ allegations as “without merit” and maintained that his claims should be resolved through arbitration under the league’s constitution. That provision grants Commissioner Roger Goodell the authority to decide certain disputes or appoint an independent arbitrator to handle them. Because coaches agree to the NFL constitution when signing their employment contracts, the league argued the arbitration clause applies to Flores’ case.

In 2023, Judge Valerie Caproni’s ruled that the clause does cover Flores’ claims against the Dolphins, since he was employed by the team at the time. However, she determined it does not extend to his claims against the NFL or the other teams. The appeals court upheld that decision, finding the arbitration process unfair because it allows Goodell to influence who oversees disputes involving the league—or even himself personally.

In the ruling, Caproni wrote that the coaches’ accounts of racial discrimination within the NFL were “deeply troubling,” noting the league’s “long history of systemic discrimination against Black players, coaches, and managers.”

“Although the clear majority of professional football players are Black, only a tiny percentage of coaches are Black,” she said.

Flores’ Attorneys Argue the NFL Stalling

In September, Flores’ legal team filed a motion asking the court to reconsider the 2023 order that had sent parts of the case to arbitration.

At the time, Flores’ attorneys told ESPN that “Any attempt by the NFL to further delay and avoid litigation of these claims should respectfully be rejected.”

But the arbitration process has not moved since legal briefs were exchanged in December 2024. “As such,” Flores’ attorneys said, “the entire arbitration has been in a complete standstill and effective stay.”

Flores Considered One of Best Coordinators in NFL

Flores spent the 2022 season as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers before taking over as the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive coordinator in 2023. Under his leadership, Minnesota’s defense has ranked among the league’s best this year, allowing just 1,449 yards through five games—the sixth-fewest in the NFL. Known for his highly aggressive play-calling, Flores has turned the Vikings into one of the league’s top blitzing defenses. After the 2024 season, he interviewed for head coaching jobs with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Jets but did not advance past the initial round of interviews.

Flores has had two former quarterbacks publicly express disdain for him. Tua Tagovailoa characterized him as a “terrible person” who frequently told him that he “suck[ed].” Based on this account, it appeared that Tagovailoa viewed Flores’ termination as linked to his performance rather than his race. While Ryan Fitzpatrick said Flores had become a “dictator” by the end of his tenure with the club and that he “broke” Tagovailoa. Both quarterbacks could be witnesses if and when the case goes to trial.

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