DeMeco Ryans Makes It Clear Nick Caley is Not Bobby Slowik

Now the offensive coordinator will have to prove him right

The resume said as much but head coach DeMeco Ryans drove home the point.

Nick Caley is not Bobby Slowik.

Ryans highlighted the varied background of Caley who coached previously with the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams as his two most recent stops.

Caley had coached under a lot of coaches. Slowik hadn’t.

Caley had coached multiple positions. Slowik hadn’t.

Caley had experience with various schemes. Slowik hadn’t.

The resume clearly states as much. Ryans didn’t reveal a secret he’d been keeping. The head coach did drill down on an important asset for his new offensive coordinator.

Four times in the first three comments Ryans focused on Caley’s leadership.

“I feel really strong in my conviction that he can lead us and get us over the hump,” Ryans said. “We've had a lot of good success these first two years, and the reason we're doing it is I think there's another level that we can go to. I said earlier, it's my job to take this organization to new heights, and I think hiring Nick will help us to get there.”

Caley has to lead an offense that looked lost many times last season.

Ryans wasn’t worried about one of the huge similarities between Slowik and Caley: first time calling the offense.

“To me, everybody has their first time,” he said. “I was a first-time play caller. A lot of guys who have their first time, so I wasn't beholden to or nervous about hiring someone who's their first time, because it's about the person. I think you get the right person to do the job, and I truly believe that Nick can do that. Play calling is also about who you surround yourself with. I think we have a really strong staff offensively and defensively, surrounding ourselves with the right people who can help when it comes to calling it for the first time.”

Many elements of what Ryans made clear about what drew him to Caley were things Slowik was missing at the end of his tenure with the Texans.

Caley explained what he believes he brings to the table.

He said he wanted to “evolve” the scheme, something Slowik claimed he wanted to do but failed to produce. Caley said it wouldn’t be his spin, but a player-driven scheme.

“It’s always going to be what’s best for our players,” Caley said. “We’re not pounding a square peg into a round hole. It’s going to be based on the strengths of our quarterback and the guys on this team. That is what it will always be designed around.”

It felt like Slowik was too often trying to fit guys into his style. The Texans were “close,” he said, but they never got there on offense. His inability to adjust was one of the main reasons.

Caley wants to create around what the Texans have on the roster.

“It is going to be Houston’s,” he said. “It is going to be our scheme based on what we do. I don't say that to throw any curveballs. It really is. I mean, my history, dating back to when I first got in the National Football League under Coach Belichick, is we were going to be a game plan team.”

Making the most of the talents you have the building is the plan.

It’s an iffy plan with this offensive line.

Caley must fix the blocking. C.J. Stroud can’t go another season running for his life. The Texans have almost every lineman who played notable snaps back under contract. There naturally should be a little turnover, but there may be an element of “make do” for Caley.

How does he plan to handle improving the blocking?

“I think it all starts up front obviously and it’s really all 11,” he said. “We all have to be in sync and I think protection starts with communication, trust and cohesiveness up front and really having clear rules in the protection system. We’re going to be going through that process.”

If there were rules last year, the Texans didn’t follow them.

Cole Popovich, who worked with Caley in New England, was promoted from assistant offensive line coach to offensive line coach. Ryans credited Popovich with the development of some of the young offensive linemen and said he’s confident he can lead the room where it needs to go. Popovich and Caley’s relationship allowed them to undertake the task right away Ryans said.

The task for Caley is clear. Ryans laid it out. Tap into what was missing and get more from the offense of the Texans. Slowik couldn’t. Ryans believes Caley has the tools, let’s see if he can put them to work.

Press Conference Potpourri

• Caley said protection starts “inside out” along the offensive line.

• Longtime Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia and Dave DeGuglielmo are where Caley said he learned his offensive line protection system.

• DeMeco Ryans declined to specifically discuss the impending free agency of Stefon Diggs.

• “It was very hard to let Bobby go. Bobby’s a really close friend, as you all know, Bobby’s a great friend of mine. When I got into coaching, Bobby was the guy who helped me figure it all out and we were QCs together, there, in San Fran. So, really long relationship there with him. Nothing but love and admiration for Bobby and what he’s done. I know he’ll be a really good coach in this league as he continues to press forward in his career. And I wish him nothing but the best.” -DeMeco Ryans on his decision to fire Bobby Slowik.

• A Tank Dell update from DeMeco Ryans: “Tank is definitely in much better spirits. Encouraged with his process and where he is. So, I’m excited for Tank. It’s great to see him just with that smile back on his face. We know he went through a devastating injury there. Hated to lose him, but he’s on the right track. We’ll see where he ends up as he continues to progress through his rehab. But it’s great to see that smile back on Tank’s face.”

• “Yeah, I love tight ends.” -Former tight end coach Nick Caley.

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