What’s the feel around new Houston Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley?
Ask his young receivers fresh off their first practice working with the longtime tight ends coach.
“He is awesome,” rookie Jayden Higgins said Friday afternoon. “He’s sending a lot of motivation, really just showing how excited he is for the season and really just getting in here and learning all the new things they have to install. Then [Wide Receivers/ Offensive Passing Game Coordinator]Coach Ben [McDaniels] has been good as well. It is really just a lot of install we have been going over and diving into the playbook. He has been great as well, for sure.”
Caley, who previously served as the passing game coordinator with the Los Angeles Rams, was hired to help Houston’s offense get over the hump as a legitimate force in the AFC. He’ll be tasked with taking over for Bobby Slowik after regression set in with C.J. Stroud.
Stroud holds the key to everything. As a rookie, he looked like the next All-Pro passer, throwing for over 4,000 yards while leading the Texans to their first playoff appearance in four years. A year later, he put up pedestrian numbers while being sacked 52 times, the second-most in the NFL.
Caley’s main goal in Houston will be fixing the offensive line with a cast of former starters and young talent. Houston’s best lineman from 2024 was Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil. He’s now off to Washington protecting 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, while the Texans will turn to either veteran Cam Robinson or second-round pick Aireontae Ersery.
Ersery, a three-year starter at Minnesota and an All-Big Ten selection, said the first thing he noticed about his new play-caller was his personality and vibrant attitude toward coaching.
“Two funny guys that have personalities that know a lot about ball,” Ersery said of Caley and new offensive line coach Cole Popovich. “They are human and they are not robots. They are not out there trying to teach you like a robot. If there is a mistake or something, they are going to stop and slow down to fix it and work from there.”
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans also mentioned that there’s no off switch with Caley. When he’s on, it’s 100 percent or bust.
“I love the positive energy that he brings, the smile, the joy that he brings to work every day,” Ryans said. “And that rubs off on the players.
“I know he’s going to do a great job of leading on that side of the ball.”
The Texans return to the practice field next week for the start of veteran minicamp.
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