What’s next for the Texans?

[Billy Buffalo]

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The Houston Texans continue to confuse and confound with a coaching search that unofficially started the moment Bill O’Brien was fired and that officially began 23 days ago. Significant questions remain, including: (1) who will they hire?; (2) when will the hire happen?; (3) will the hire be intended to placate Deshaun Watson; and (4) will it matter?

Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com reported over the weekend that it won’t matter, and that Watson wants out regardless of coach who gets the job. Still, until Watson makes it clear that he wants a trade, Watson will not have passed the point of no return.

Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, the former head coach of the Vikings, was scheduled to interview for the Houston job on Tuesday. Because Buffalo’s season has ended, Frazier could be hired now.

The longer it goes, the more likely it becomes that Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy remains in play for the job. He will be available to be interviewed after Super Bowl LV, and to be hired at that point.

At this point, no one knows what will happen. Making it harder to predict the next move is that the Texans have been so unpredictable in recent months. Some think they actually may hire Josh McCown to be the head coach.

The final decision will be made by owner Cal McNair. To the extent that executive V.P. of football operations Jack Easterby continues to have uncanny influence over McNair, Easterby necessarily will have a voice in where this goes.

New G.M. Nick Caserio presumably is running the search. However, it’s unlikely he’ll hire whoever he wants to hire; McNair and Easterby surely will have a voice.

Wherever it goes, the hire likely won’t be the end of the offseason drama for the Texans, but only the beginning.