Bill O'Brien's surprise ascension to the role of de facto general manager saw multiple players and valuable picks change hands in 2019, and it sounds as if the organization is content with the current setup.
O'Brien told reporters Monday he doesn't see the Texans hiring an official general manager. The coach's response backs previous reporting from NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, who revealed in early December the organization was happy with how O'Brien and vice president of team development Jack Easterby have worked together.
Since O'Brien assumed final say power, the Texans have traded Jadeveon Clowney for two players and a third-round pick, sent that pick to Oakland for cornerback Gareon Conley, dealt a conditional fourth-round pick (which became a third-round choice) to Cleveland for running back Duke Johnson, swapped reserve offensive lineman Martinas Rankin for running back Carlos Hyde, and acquired tackle Laremy Tunsil and receiver Kenny Stills in exchange for two first-round picks and additional assets.
All of these trades worked out for the Texans, who reached the Divisional Round of the playoffs and are looking to keep Tunsil in Houston for the long run.
"We want Laremy here. Laremy knows that," O'Brien said Monday. "I think relative to contracts and all those different things. It really wouldn't be fair for me to comment on any of those things because I don't think that's fair to the player or the organization. I think we've got to keep those things in house. But I can unequivocally state to you that we want Laremy here for a long time."
Tunsil shored up a left tackle situation that was problematic ever since the Texans sent unhappy lineman Duane Brown to Seattle in 2018. Houston went back to the well in 2019 when it sent Clowney northwest, but the edge rusher is now headed to free agency.
O'Brien's Texans, meanwhile, acquired assets to then spend on further roster remodeling. They're in a good position now and won't disrupt it entering 2020.
