HOUSTON -- Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien was clear about one thing in his end-of-season press conference: Whoever replaces Rick Smith as general manager needed to be "aligned philosophically on what type of team" he and owner Bob McNair are trying to build.
With a five-year contract extension for himself and a new general manager in Brian Gaine, O’Brien now has the pieces in place to get Houston to take a step further than three 9-7 seasons: a quarterback in Deshaun Watson, a general manager who presumably shares his vision for the future, and now, job security.