http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3925794.html Texans pick new general manager By MEGAN MANFULL Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Denver assistant general manager Rick Smith has accepted the job as the Texans' general manager and will be introduced at a press conference on Monday. Smith, 36, replaces Charley Casserly, who spent 6 1/2 years as general manager before resigning last month to pursue a position with the NFL office in New York. Owner Bob McNair has hired Smith over Green Bay director of pro personnel Reggie McKenzie and New Orleans director of player personnel Rick Mueller. Smith joins the Texans after 10 seasons with the Broncos. The Texans refused to confirm Smith's hiring on Sunday. Vice president of communications Tony Wyllie said an announcement will be made "at the appropriate time." Smith, the only candidate the Texans brought in for two interviews, spent his first four years as an assistant coach at Denver and the last six years as the Broncos' director of pro personnel. In March, he was promoted to assistant general manager when the Atlanta Falcons tried to hire him. Smith is being reunited with his good friend, Gary Kubiak, the Texans' new coach. The two worked together closely in Denver, where Kubiak was the Broncos' offensive coordinator for 11 years before coming to Houston in January to replace Dom Capers. The Texans have hired Smith with two weeks of practices remaining. Kubiak said at the beginning of the search process that he hoped the Texans would be able to hire the new general manager in time for the two mini-camps so he would have an opportunity to become familiar with the players. The Texans have two more days of "organized team activities" on Monday and Tuesday. They will then start their first three-day mini-camp Wednesday Their second three-day mini-camp starts next Monday. The team will then take a break until training camp begins at the end of July. As Casserly did before he officially departed last week, Smith will work closely with Kubiak. Smith will be in charge of the draft and oversee the personnel department. Dan Ferens, the vice president of football administration, handles contract negotiations and the salary cap.
Its official! We are now the Houston Broncos! Texans hire Broncos' Smith as GM By KRISTIE RIEKEN, AP Sports Writer HOUSTON (AP) -- The Houston Texans hired Rick Smith as general manager on Monday, reuniting the former Denver assistant GM with new coach Gary Kubiak. Smith becomes the second general manager in Texans history, following Charley Casserly, who resigned following the draft. Casserly is considered the front-runner to become the NFL's vice president for football operations, succeeding Art Shell, who left to become coach of the Oakland Raiders for the second time. Smith, who at 36 will be the NFL's youngest GM, spent 10 years with Kubiak while the coach was offensive coordinator of the Broncos. He also becomes the second black general manager, joining Ozzie Newsome of Baltimore. He is unlikely to have the overriding power with the Texans that Casserly has had. Smith joined the Broncos in 1996, but had only been in his current position since March. Before that he spent six seasons as head of Denver's pro personnel operations. He moved to the front office after serving as a defensive assistant for four seasons. "I'm so excited about this opportunity," Smith said, flanked by his wife, Tiffany, and Texans owner Bob McNair at news conference. "Particularly the opportunity to work with a guy like Gary ... a guy I really believe in." The Texans also interviewed Reggie McKenzie, the Green Bay director of pro personnel, and Rick Mueller, the New Orleans Saints director of player personnel. "We came to the conclusion that Rick Smith was the man for us," McNair said. "Rick has a terrific background. No. 1 he's worked with Coach Kubiak, which is certainly important to us. This is a team effort. We need to have people who can work well together." Kubiak, who called Smith one of the "brightest football minds in the business," said he likes working with people like Smith who challenge his ideas. "He's battled me in many situations and made me a better football coach," Kubiak said. "Because sometimes I get a little tunnel vision on some players and various things and he helped me see another side." Though his relationship with Kubiak played a major role in his hiring, Smith believes other factors also came into play. "I do believe that I'm prepared for this job," he said. "I think Mr. McNair was convinced that I am and so I think that carried the most weight. Certainly the familiarity and relationship with Gary was a positive, but I think my credentials stand for themselves." McNair is under added pressure after the Texans sunk to their franchise-worst 2-14 record in their fourth season. The changes began in January when Kubiak was hired to replace Dom Capers, who was fired the day after the season ended. "We've promised that we're going to have a winner for Houston," McNair said. "I'm committed to that. We are going to win." Smith said he's looking forward to beginning his evaluation of the Texans and he plans to start that process on Wednesday when Houston opens minicamp. Smith began his coaching career at Purdue in 1992 after playing strong safety for the Boilermakers. He spent two seasons as a strength and conditioning coach before taking over as defensive backs coach. He worked as an assistant at TCU for a month before taking a job with the Broncos. Yahoo link
I hope he can get rid of our waste and do a better job of sleepers, let alone the first couple of rounds...
I thought that Bob McNair was a racist for not taking Vince Young and staying with the white boy at QB? This hire doesn't make any since. Just poking fun at the annoying radio callers who made this claim.
