Texans firing their general manager could have an impact on the Eagles

The Jets firing the general manager Mike Maccagnan was not super surprising — he wasn’t drafting too well, or locking down FA talent. The timing was weird — usually it’s much faster after the draft — but the end result wasn’t a surprise.

This one? This one is way outta the blue.

Hired only 16 months ago, Brian Gaine is out as the general manager of the Houston Texans, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

A Houston product who left as the director of player personnel in 2017 for greener pastures in Buffalo, Gaine was quickly brought back when GM Rick Smith took a personal leave of absence to be with his wife as she battled breast cancer.

But the Texans’ decision wasn’t immediate. The Texans tried to interview several candidates in their haste to insert a head guy before the 2018 draft — but a few of their targets were still in the playoffs, and subsequently their teams were able to deny interviews. One such target was Nick Caserio, a golden boy being groomed for bigger roles in New England when Bill Belichick eventually hangs it up. They also wanted the Packers’ director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst, who very quickly thereafter became Packers’ general manager Brian Gutekunst

Another? Joe Douglas, Howie Roseman’s top film guy for the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles.

Indeed, the Eagles blocked Houston’s attempt to interview Douglas because they were still in the playoffs in January, and Houston didn’t have the time to wait, so they moved on Gaine. However, the Eagles have no such power in June, so if the Texans again want to interview Douglas for their general manager job, they have all the power in the world to do so.

Will they get their chance, or will the Jets lock Douglas up before they can get a word in? Apparently the Jets and Douglas are only apart on money, so perhaps the added pressure of the Houston vacancy will force New York to up their offer. There are reports that Douglas is locked up by the Jets already, but I’ve yet to see those confirmed.

Expect movement on the Douglas front — in either direction — shortly. The chances the Eagles keep him are next to none.

It’s also worth remember that the Eagles are fans of Gaine himself! He was brought into the building in 2015, when the Eagles were looking for a general manager in the waning years of the Chip Kelly Experience. Of course, Kelly ended up the de facto general manager and subsequently ran his ship into the ground — but Gaine was an interview candidate. If Douglas leaves, the Eagles could look to bring Gaine into the building in Douglas’ vacated role.