Texans target two Patriots front office members for vacant general manager spot; New England declines interview requests

The New England Patriots are currently on their first round playoff bye, which gives the team time to get back to full strength heading into the tournament but also allows coaches and executives to interview for vacant positions around the league. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia have already done so, as has linebackers coach Brian Flores.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, two other members of the Patriots have also drawn attention from the outside: The Houston Texans are targeting both director of player personnel Nick Caserio and director of college scouting Monti Ossenfort to fill their vacant general manager seat. In fact, the team has requested interviews with both front office members. However, New England declined both.

Caserio and Ossenfort might still get their chance to meet with the Texans, though, wrote Schefter in a recent story. Under recently loosened NFL regulations, the requirements to block an interview with a front office member have been slightly altered which in turn could open the gates for Houston to talk to the Patriots’ two high-ranking executives after the season

Nick Caserio is with the Patriots since 2002, having worked his way up from personnel and coaching assistant to director of player personnel. The 42-year old John Carroll alum serves as the right-hand man of the de-facto general manager Bill Belichick - and it would not be a surprise to see him eventually take over as Belichick’s successor in that role. Caserio’s contract runs through at least 2020.

Like Caserio, Ossenfort started his career in New England as a personnel assistant and from 2005 on worked his way up through the scouting department until getting promoted to his current role in 2014. The 39-year old has worked for the Texans as a scout before joining the Patriots.