Battle Red Blog Groupthink: Reacting to Texans Signing Danielle Hunter

Houston has a new number 99.

After a frustrating first day in free agency, Nick Caserio surprised the NFL with the biggest signing of the entire offseason. Houston is signing DE Danielle Hunter to a two-year deal.

With the news following a digital media onslaught of criticism… so much so that the voice of the Texans Marc Vandermeer posted a “Free Agency Wellness Check” on the Texans site… the criticism surrounding Caserio’s approach to free agency was caboshed. It lead me to ask the writers the following question:

Danielle Hunter to the Texans per Rapoport. It’s the biggest free agent signing in probably a decade. What are your opinions of the deal and does it change your opinion of Nick Caserio?

L4blitzer:

When it comes to free agency in the Caserio regime, it has been all about volume, as if the Texans decided it was best to shop at the NFL equivalent of a discount mass goods store (think SAM’s Club, but back when it was actually cheaper to buy in bulk there). A lot of one-year, relatively cap-friendly deals on players that had low risk, regardless of whatever the playing floor/ceiling looks like.

Given where the team was the first two years, it was not a bad strategy. However, with the Texans’ turn from contending for the #1 pick to playoff contender, the Texans could go from bargain shopping to visiting some of the higher-end-Whole-Foods-in-New-York-City-level of options. Day One didn’t exactly provide that, as Caserio seemed content to let the other teams burn their cap space. Yet, by virtue of a the trade with the Vikings for DEs via free agency deals, the Texans signaled that they were ready for the bigger/high-end moves.

$48M guaranteed is very rich for the 2020s Texans, but getting a guy with 87.5 career sacks and has double digit sacks in 4 of the past 5 seasons is the type of move you make when you are where Houston is and with their cap space. Yet, Caserio did hedge his bets, as the contract is for 2 years. This offers short-term improvement, but opens the window for the time when players, like say Will Anderson, Jr, are looking at their own contract extensions.

Vballretired:

I think Caserio is who he is. This might have been DeMeco pounding on the table and getting a dude. Reports are that Stroud and Anderson were the same. I have to admit, I thought they would go heavier offense in free agency but Mixon is the only real add there. Demeco said he wanted to build up the defensive line and they have. This is his football team and the defense is looking more and more like the 49ers with every move. I think they draft pretty heavy on offense and go out and kick some butt.

Patrick.H:

I am impressed that the Texans were able to haul in Danielle Hunter and hope that eventually they’re able to keep him on a longer term deal (not too long though, since he’s 29 and all). He’s an immediate upgrade from Greenard, who the Texans essentially traded to Minnesota for him, and at a fairly reasonable price too for someone of his caliber.

I won’t lie, on Monday I was starting to wonder what the hell Caserio was up to when it looked like every noteworthy free agent from the Texans was going away and all the big ticket free agents were getting snapped up left and right. But my worries were a little less founded than I thought. I’m still not thrilled about the Joe Mixon trade and am more than a little surprised the Texans traded for him given his recent off field issues. But if DeMeco and Co. see something in him and people can sometimes change given the right circumstances (look at Robert Downey Jr., after all), I’m willing to give the front office the very slightest benefit of the doubt.

All that being said, all the one- and two-year deals that Caserio gives out can get really frustrating.

Kenneth L.:

The day before I could be seen ranting and fuming to my roommate about how Houston is a “budget franchise”, as opposed to the popular, derogatory term “poverty franchise”. No matter who was in charge over the last 20+ years, big free agent splashes were not a part of the ethos within the team building scheme. It’s simply not a splashy franchise.

However, things are changing. New helmets, new traditions, and new practices.

My main criticism of Caserio was that he simply was not evolving with the team’s expedited rebuilding process. He can’t treat this roster with the same short-term mentality as he did the 2021 roster. Blockbuster moves means blockbuster contracts. It’s inevitable if Houston wants to one day transgress past the divisional round. Caserio’s signing Hunter signals to all Houstonians he is a tactful man at heart who knows how to win a fanbase over.

It’s a good day.