1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,079 Speaker 1: It's Texans Radio, Mark Vanderman and John Harris with General 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:06,000 Speaker 1: manager Nick Asserio Nick Ray to see you. Fellow's good 3 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:09,719 Speaker 1: to be here. Special Saturday edition, Special weekend edition of 4 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: Texans Radio. Nick, your thoughts on being able to move 5 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 1: on after dealing with the Watson situation for over a year, 6 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:20,319 Speaker 1: finally being able to make this trade and get the 7 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: Texans into twenty twenty two and beyond. Yeah, really, the 8 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 1: big thing, it's about moving forward, and it's about clarity 9 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: for everybody. I think everybody at least has an understanding 10 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: of where we are. So it's an opportunity, if for 11 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: the franchise, an opportunity really for everybody involved. They just 12 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: kind of move forward. So there's a lot of work 13 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 1: ahead of us. So we're kind of in the midst 14 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:41,199 Speaker 1: of the team building process for the twenty two seasons, 15 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,520 Speaker 1: so that's always an exciting part of what we're trying 16 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 1: to do organizationally. So probably wrap up here free agency, 17 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 1: you know, over the next call a week or so, 18 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:50,879 Speaker 1: and then once we kind of transition in April, then 19 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: it'll be very draft focused and draft centric, which will 20 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: be kind of the next step of the whole team 21 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: building process. I'm so disappointed my partner Mark, he buried 22 00:00:57,880 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: the lead. How's your bracket? We need to know how 23 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 1: it is first of all. Honest honestly, I have no 24 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: idea who's even playing in the tournament. We figured that 25 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: was probably literally I think Lois Speed Kentucky. That's about 26 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: the extent of that. Sat Peter. That's a good thing 27 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: you don't know, Nick, Yes, you would have been like, 28 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:17,959 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, Saint Peter's blew my bracket. We would 29 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: have been I do know coach k and tom Izzo 30 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 1: are competing against each other tomorrow the next day, so 31 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: that'll be fun. In all seriousness, you have the trade 32 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: going on you have to start of the new league year. 33 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: Did you have like three different phones that you were like, Okay, 34 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 1: this one's for the watching trade, this one is for 35 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: new League gear. How do you kind of juggle all 36 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 1: those balls in the air at the same time, Nick, No, 37 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: it's an interesting point. You really have to try to 38 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 1: balance everything off and just allocate the appropriate time as needed. 39 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: So there's going to be certain periods of time during 40 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: the course of the day you might have to allocate 41 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 1: a little more to one versus the other. But once 42 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: the new league gear started once for agencies started. We're 43 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: trying to add players to our team, and ultimately that's 44 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 1: my responsibility. So that communication, that dialogue with the agents, 45 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: you know, in terms of negotiating the contracts, like that's 46 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: ultimately going to fall on my shoulders. So there's a 47 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,359 Speaker 1: time sensitivity to some of those things that's involved, So 48 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 1: try to balance everything off. Our pro staff did a 49 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: great job of at least kind of providing the information, 50 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: and there was a lot of dialogue back and forth 51 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 1: with our coaching staff, and we had done some work 52 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 1: prior to in terms of creating sort of maybe buckets 53 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 1: or pockets of players. Okay, if we can't get this player, 54 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: here's another option. What happens if this player becomes available. 55 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: So you really have to treat it business as usual 56 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: and just kind of go about your day and not 57 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: get too bogged down with one particular thing, understanding that 58 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: you know, there's certain relevance and importance to maybe the 59 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: nature of the transaction, but kind of don't lose sight 60 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: of sort of the day to day and just the 61 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 1: work that needs to get done. Nick, you were dealing 62 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: with a situation that was unprecedented in the history of 63 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:52,359 Speaker 1: this league, So being able to deal with the different 64 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 1: teams involved with the trade that you ultimately made with 65 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: the Browns, What can you tell us about what that 66 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: was like, having to filter all that through and ultimately 67 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: make a deal. Yeah, it's a lot to get organized, 68 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 1: but ultimately you just you have to be very thoughtful. 69 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: You want to stay patient, can't get too high, can't 70 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 1: get too low, can't set unreasonable expectations. You have to 71 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 1: be realistic about what may or may not happen, and 72 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:15,799 Speaker 1: you really have to be prepared for just about every 73 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:18,640 Speaker 1: scenario because you're never sure how it's going to go 74 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: until the end. So prepare, plan and then already be 75 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: ready to act at the appropriate time if there's an 76 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:28,679 Speaker 1: opportunity to do so. So, you know, I'd say that's 77 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: probably been not to oversimplify it, but really the mindset 78 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: and the overall philosophy that I've taken that we've kind 79 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 1: of taken organizationally the whole way through. Nick, this might 80 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: seem like an obvious question, but it was rumored that 81 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 1: the big part was the three first rounders. Why was 82 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 1: that something that was that important, Like that's got to 83 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: be the baseline where to start was that really what 84 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: it was is like, that's the baseline to just start 85 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: the discussion, to get it somewhere, because I mean, was 86 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: there any sort of precedent you sort of had to 87 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 1: go on in a trade of this magnitude. Oh, there's 88 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: never a precedent. You try to dablished what you think 89 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: is appropriate value for whatever an asset may be. So 90 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: it's subject to probably a lot of opinions. Everybody probably 91 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: has a lot of different opinions and ideas on something 92 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: like that, but you just try to take the information 93 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:16,279 Speaker 1: and try to look at what maybe has happened in 94 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:19,279 Speaker 1: the past previously and just try to set set a 95 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:23,280 Speaker 1: baseline of Okay, if it's not at least at this level, 96 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: it's probably going to be hard for us to entertain 97 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:28,479 Speaker 1: that type of discussion. So there's no hard and fast rule, 98 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: but I would say that was certainly something that was 99 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: important from the outset. You're a little over a month 100 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 1: away from the draft and you have two picks in 101 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 1: the top thirteen. What does that do for the Houston 102 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 1: Texans Right off the bat? It really gives us an 103 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 1: opportunity to hopefully just add two good football players to 104 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: our team. And I think that's really should be the 105 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 1: realistic goal and expectation. I think sometimes there's an expectation, Okay, 106 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:54,039 Speaker 1: this certain player at this certain pick, he has to 107 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 1: be X. It doesn't always go that way, But just 108 00:04:57,040 --> 00:04:59,479 Speaker 1: try to find the right players that we have a 109 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: conviction four, an affinity four that we think when they 110 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 1: walk in our building, they're going to embody the things 111 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: that we want to Houston Texan do embody. So the 112 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:09,279 Speaker 1: goal is to try to get good football players, good 113 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 1: people that are going to embrace what we're doing, that 114 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: are going to embrace our work environment, that are gonna 115 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 1: embrace our coaching staff, They're gonna embrace the city and 116 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: be part of the fabric of what we're trying to 117 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,680 Speaker 1: do and establish. You have ten picks going in right now, 118 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: and we say for now because last year I don't 119 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:25,840 Speaker 1: know what we went in with. You came out of 120 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: there with five, moved around, did some different things. I 121 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 1: think we had eight and we ended up with five. 122 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: Just kind of positioning. Is there a point now at ten? 123 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 1: I mean you also now with first rounders, you can 124 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: move down, you can add more. Is there a point 125 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:40,919 Speaker 1: where there's almost too many draft picks? I mean not 126 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: in our world. We love it, but is there a 127 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 1: point where you make twelve to fifteen draft sections you're like, well, 128 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,279 Speaker 1: maybe that's not where we want to be. Really, you 129 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 1: have to look at it. What does it do for 130 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: your football team or what are the what's the alternative? 131 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 1: So look at your team, make an assessment. You can 132 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,039 Speaker 1: only have ninety players on your roster at one time, 133 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: so the more players that you pick, it's either a 134 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: potentially could affect some players currently on the team, or 135 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: it could affect your ability after the draft to maybe 136 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: bring in some players as undrafted free agents. So there's 137 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 1: no hard and fast rule. A lot of it is 138 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 1: supplying demand driven, and trades are really I would say, 139 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:19,279 Speaker 1: when you get to the draft are very player driven. 140 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:22,479 Speaker 1: They're very player specific. Said team sees a player that 141 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 1: they really like, Okay, we want to move up for 142 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 1: that player. Okay. In order to get to that point, 143 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 1: here's a world of cost. Okay, said team, are you 144 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: willing to do that or not? If not, if you're 145 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: moving on from that player, if we move on ten slots, okay, 146 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 1: there's not possibility you're gonna lose eight to ten players 147 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: that you maybe have a certain grade that you would 148 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: want to have on your team. So there's a cost 149 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 1: benefit analysis that has to take place in real time. 150 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 1: So you just want to make sure you make an 151 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 1: astute assessment, the right assessments you can make a good decision. 152 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:55,039 Speaker 1: When do you start playing around with trade possibilities? Not 153 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:58,360 Speaker 1: that you would automatically, but I would imagine some scenarios 154 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 1: are going to come up during the draft or maybe 155 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,359 Speaker 1: before it where you could make some moves. When do 156 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 1: you start playing around with that mentally on your board? Yeah, 157 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:09,040 Speaker 1: it's a good question. Probably you know, a week or 158 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 1: two before. You want to be prepared because when you're 159 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: in the top ten of the draft, the cost of 160 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: that trade is pretty significance. You just want to make 161 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 1: sure if a team makes an offer, it's commensurate with 162 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 1: what actually the trade should entail. So you go through 163 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 1: different scenarios. Okay, said team is picking here in order 164 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 1: for them to move here, here's what it would cost. 165 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,560 Speaker 1: So and we have a model, or we have a 166 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: tool in our database where you could sort of simulate 167 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 1: or go through different scenarios. You can look at them 168 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 1: and say, okay, if this team is at twelve in 169 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: order for them to get from twelve to three, here's 170 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 1: what it would cost. Oh, you know what, they don't 171 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 1: have enough. Okay, let's Sony even factor that in. So 172 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: there's a little bit of that you can do ahead 173 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 1: of time, and you just want to be prepared that 174 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: if a player, if a team does want to go 175 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 1: from call at six to three, or what's that cost? 176 00:07:57,960 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: And okay, do we want to make that trade? Doesn't 177 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 1: make sense or does it not? So you'll play around 178 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 1: with it eventually, Mark, Probably now is not the time, 179 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 1: but eventually, at some point you'll you'll go through a 180 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 1: little bit of that exercise. Wait, should I throw out 181 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 1: my Jimmy Johnson draft value chart or is that still? 182 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 1: Is that still currency in the NFL? It's a I 183 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: would say, a baseline. I think what has happened with 184 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 1: that chart. Teams have kind of updated into their own version, 185 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 1: which at times when you're doing a trade, the values 186 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: could be a little bit different. So maybe they've adjusted 187 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: it accordingly from said number of years. So we might 188 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: not be looking at the same chart. So there could 189 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 1: be a market chart and then there could be an 190 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 1: analytics chart. So you try to have to match up 191 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:39,640 Speaker 1: the two because they might be you know, you might 192 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 1: be talking to a team about the trade but actually 193 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:44,440 Speaker 1: not viewing it through the same lens. You're talking a 194 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:47,679 Speaker 1: different language. But that chart certainly has relevance and has 195 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 1: had relevance for a long time. I mean, it's probably 196 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 1: one of the greatest things that Jimmy has done. So 197 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 1: do you start hitting the prota circuit? Now you've got 198 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 1: all this stuff done. I know it's not all done, 199 00:08:57,720 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: but you get stuff done? Can you can it? Now? 200 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 1: Get out on the pro day circuit. I know you 201 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: traveled the games and saw games and such, but how 202 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 1: much does it help you to get on the pro 203 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 1: day start getting kind of get hands on, if you will, 204 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: with some of the prospects and players, especially under class Yeah, 205 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: it was actually supposed to go somewhere yesterday, but that 206 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 1: kind of got to rate a little bit. A little bit. 207 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:16,679 Speaker 1: I would expect this week that our staff has been out. 208 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 1: The coaching staff was out last week. Love he was 209 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:21,320 Speaker 1: at Georgia, Love he was at Michigan. We had some 210 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 1: of our position coaches that were out throughout the country 211 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 1: as well. Our scouting staff is kind of there at 212 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 1: whatever Pro Day takes place Monday through Friday. They're there, 213 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:30,679 Speaker 1: so We're getting a lot of information, so it's good 214 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 1: opportunity and it's it's pro day, isn't about one particular player. 215 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,199 Speaker 1: If a player with Texas A and M has said 216 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 1: number of prospects, you want to maybe be able to 217 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 1: look at all the prospects, non in particular one. Or 218 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:44,080 Speaker 1: there's a player that works out that comes out from 219 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: somewhere else, so oh, he's an interesting prospect. Maybe he 220 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 1: didn't know too much about him. Let's go back and 221 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 1: take a look at that. So I would say this 222 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: week that'll take place to the following week of the 223 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 1: league meetings down in Florida, and then when we come 224 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: back from the league meetings that week of the fourth 225 00:09:57,240 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 1: who probably have an opportunity to bring some draft prospects 226 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 1: into our building as part of the thirty man visits, 227 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 1: which we actually were able to start those before free agency. 228 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:07,559 Speaker 1: We did a few visits Monday Tuesday of this previous week, 229 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 1: so everything kind of works concurrently. So we're kind of 230 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:12,959 Speaker 1: jugging a lot of different things. But that's the beauty 231 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:14,079 Speaker 1: of this time the year, and there's a lot of 232 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:17,199 Speaker 1: fun though that's associated with that. Nick After the day's 233 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 1: news on Friday, Davis Mills tweeted, let's work or something 234 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: of that equivalent. Yeah, tweeter, Yeah, yeah, you're probably not 235 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 1: noticing those things, but the fan base got fired up 236 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 1: seeing that. Everything tell us what kind of off season 237 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 1: you're expecting from Davis coming off the conclusion of the 238 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:36,199 Speaker 1: twenty one campaign and as he gets ready for a 239 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: twenty two and whatever comes ahead. The off season is 240 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: about improvement. Can you improve your skill set as a position? 241 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 1: Can you improve your overall understanding of what we're doing offensively? 242 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 1: Can you improve your fundamentals as we kind of transition 243 00:10:50,559 --> 00:10:53,200 Speaker 1: to some new things offensively, there'll be a learning curve 244 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 1: associated with that, maybe more so for some other players 245 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 1: relative to Davis, who has some experience with some of 246 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:00,679 Speaker 1: the vernacular and some of the things that we're going 247 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,839 Speaker 1: to do, you know, with Pep's offense. So the offseason 248 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 1: about is really for every player, is about improvement. This 249 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 1: is a great window, a great opportunity for you to improve, 250 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: to get stronger, to work on your strength. Maybe you 251 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:15,000 Speaker 1: got to work on your lower body strength. Maybe you 252 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 1: have to work on your flexibility, maybe you have to 253 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: work on your endurance. This is your opportunity to do 254 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 1: that and we're a newer team. Not a new team, 255 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:25,080 Speaker 1: but with a new head coach and a new staff, 256 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:28,719 Speaker 1: so there's a certain newness elements. So there's an opportunity 257 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:31,719 Speaker 1: for everybody to either a build on what they did 258 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: last year and continue to make strides, or be it's 259 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 1: their first opportunity to be in our building and you 260 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 1: want to try to do things to make a positive impression. 261 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 1: We talked a lot about a process in which players 262 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:43,840 Speaker 1: aren't even in the building yet the draft, talked about 263 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 1: a trade behare not even in the building. Let's talk 264 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 1: about guys that you brought back to the building. Christian 265 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:51,439 Speaker 1: Kirkseymillee Collins, Desmond King just to name a few. Those 266 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 1: three guys at the bread in there too. Yeah, just 267 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:56,280 Speaker 1: those guys coming in. What what does it mean to 268 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 1: bring those guys back? Nick? And how valuable was it 269 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: to see them for the full season, to kind of 270 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 1: have that assessment period to be able to bring them back. 271 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 1: It's huge, I mean experience in our system. Specifically defensively, 272 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:09,960 Speaker 1: all three of those players sort of fit what we're 273 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 1: trying to do defensively. I'd say Kirko and JB were 274 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:15,839 Speaker 1: probably two of the better players on our team last season, 275 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: So they're very well respected. They command a lot of respect, 276 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 1: not so much because of the words, but because of 277 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 1: their actions, because of how they work, because of how 278 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: they played, because how they practice. I mean, Kirko went 279 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 1: out there in a club and played when realistically he 280 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: shouldn't even been on the field, But that just kind 281 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:32,440 Speaker 1: of speaks to his toughness and who he is as 282 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 1: a person, and really that's a microcositive of what you 283 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 1: want your program to embody. So to have those players 284 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 1: back in the building to build on some of the 285 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:44,080 Speaker 1: things they did last year certainly huge, not only for 286 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 1: them but for the rest of the team as well well. 287 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:48,600 Speaker 1: On defense, and we saw some good things from the 288 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,400 Speaker 1: defense last year, top third of the league and takeaways 289 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 1: among them. You added We saw the reports throughout the 290 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 1: week that you were adding players at every position group 291 00:12:57,200 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: on the defense to strengthen that as well. I didn't 292 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:02,240 Speaker 1: realize that then. It's kind of a process of osmosis, 293 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 1: So it's not necessarily you're trying to say we're trying 294 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 1: to fill every level. You're just kind of looking at 295 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:07,679 Speaker 1: the players that are available and there's an opportunity to 296 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 1: add a player that makes sense, So it doesn't necessarily 297 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:13,400 Speaker 1: guarantee anything, so just guarantees them an opportunity. But they're 298 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:15,319 Speaker 1: players that we think fit what we're trying to do 299 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 1: and that we think they have a certain level of 300 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: skill that you know it takes to be successful in 301 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 1: our system. Nick, one of the things that I've recognized 302 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: as i've been down here on the service level, I've 303 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 1: seen more players in the building working out than I 304 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 1: think I've ever seen here, and I think you should 305 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:35,680 Speaker 1: the number in your press conference like twenty five to thirty. 306 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 1: It might be more than that. It feels like guys 307 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:41,080 Speaker 1: are here constantly, and I don't think I've ever seen 308 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:44,200 Speaker 1: that before. How valuable is that not only to them 309 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:47,080 Speaker 1: but also to the team that they're having that opportunity 310 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 1: to work out together and do things together. That's pretty cool. 311 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 1: I've never seen that before happened here. Every element of 312 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 1: the team building process is important, and really what I 313 00:13:56,320 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 1: think it really speaks more than anything is to the 314 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,200 Speaker 1: sports performance staff and you Banks and his staff and 315 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:04,080 Speaker 1: the resources that we have available for the players. This 316 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 1: is a good example of when you're in a facility, 317 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 1: when you have everything you need in the facility, why 318 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:13,360 Speaker 1: go somewhere else offsite when you have the people that 319 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 1: you work with on a day to day basis throughout 320 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:16,960 Speaker 1: the course of the year that are here to serve 321 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: you and to help you and can enhance your overall 322 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 1: I would say, strength your overall performance. So our players 323 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 1: have taken advantage of that. A lot of players want 324 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 1: to be in Houston. There's a lot of players that 325 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 1: live in Houston, even that aren't on the Houston Texans. 326 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 1: So the fact that those players want to be here 327 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 1: speaks to the staff. It speaks to those players as 328 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 1: well in terms of their thought process and mindset about 329 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 1: trying to get the jump and anticipation about what they're 330 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 1: going to do here. When the offseason program officially starts 331 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 1: April eleventh, and you get to gather a little bit 332 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 1: earlier as a team because you have a new head coach, 333 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:51,280 Speaker 1: but it's a head coach that's been here, So that's 334 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 1: an extra advantage. Really sure, any opportunity you have to 335 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: kind of get started and work with your players, you know, 336 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 1: you want to be smart about and try to use 337 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 1: it to your advantage. So I think the continuity will 338 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 1: certainly help in that respect. So the more players we 339 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 1: have here, the better for everybody, not just individually but 340 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 1: collectively as a team. And it's just about making incremental strides, 341 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 1: incremental progress. Nothing's going to happen in the offseason in 342 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 1: terms of games played, but we can kind of build 343 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 1: and develop a fabric of our team and then once 344 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:21,280 Speaker 1: we add the younger players that we're going to draft, 345 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: bring them in the building in May, and then let's 346 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: see if we can actually put a team in place 347 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 1: and then get them ready to go for training camp. 348 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:30,120 Speaker 1: You mentioned their owners meetings and that got me thinking, 349 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 1: and I don't really want to cause a fight, but 350 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 1: I have to get your opinion on this because I 351 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 1: know how he feels about it. It gets brought up 352 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:39,760 Speaker 1: every year he sought into playoffs. What do you do 353 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: with overtime? What would you do with overtime? And did 354 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: you see that proposal by the Titans? Haven't studied in Reddit, 355 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 1: so I don't want to comment on it. So boy, 356 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 1: it's like the twenty five thousand dollars question, like what's 357 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 1: the right thing to do in overtime? And boy, I mean, 358 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:57,720 Speaker 1: I think the league is always looking for maybe creative 359 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 1: ways to try to equal to playing field, whatever that entails. 360 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 1: But do you necessarily penalize a team? Again, I don't 361 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 1: know what's been proposed or what some of those proposals 362 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 1: look like. So I think, look, everybody when they get 363 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: to overtime feels like they should have an opportunity to 364 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:13,280 Speaker 1: touch the ball in some way, shape or form, whether 365 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: or not that is the right thing or the wrong thing. 366 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 1: So the competition Committee will vote on it, and the 367 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 1: teams will vote on it, and whatever the rule is, 368 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: they'll implement it, and then we'll have to adjust according 369 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 1: with ourselves. Nick. One more for you, just general message 370 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: to the fans here as we come out of this 371 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:30,480 Speaker 1: mini era we're in and get ready for the rest 372 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 1: of the off season in the twenty twenty two campaign. Yeah, 373 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: I think we should all be excited about the opportunity 374 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 1: in front of us. It's kind of a situation where 375 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:40,280 Speaker 1: we can kind of reset a little bit. I think 376 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 1: everybody has clarity and we appreciate their support. We love 377 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:46,800 Speaker 1: their support. I know, Lovey you know talked about the 378 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 1: importance of the fans in our in our building. I 379 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: think even j G said something about it the other 380 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 1: day he was at the rodeo and just about the environment. 381 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 1: So our goal is to get as many fans in 382 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 1: there in the fall, and we have to do our 383 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 1: part and try to give them something to look forward to. 384 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 1: So we're excited about the opportunity in front of us. 385 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:06,119 Speaker 1: We're trying to move the organization forward, and we need 386 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:08,360 Speaker 1: their help and we need their support, and we're gonna 387 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 1: do everything in our power to try to put something 388 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:12,240 Speaker 1: to get it if they're proud of all right, thanks 389 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 1: a lot, Nick, We appreciate it. Thanks, guys, appreciate it.