Patriots to Drop Tampering Charges Against Texans After Houston Withdraws Interest in Nick Caserio

The Houston Texans had it all set up perfectly. After giving Brian Gaine the axe, Patriots executive Nick Caserio was going to slide right in and turn Houston into the New England of the South. With Bill O'Brien as head coach and Romeo Crenell as defensive coordinator, they're already halfway there.

That fantasy was dashed instantly when the Patriots announced they were filing tampering charges against the Texans related to their potential hiring of Caserio. Threatened with legal action, Houston has ended their pursuit of Caserio for their GM vacancy.

The Patriots have had success in this department before, as they famously got a fine slapped on the Jets after their signing of Darrelle Revis in free agency.

Rather than risk potential draft pick forfeiture, Houston has decided to look elsewhere to fill Gaine's seat.

The duo of Caserio and Bill Belichick have had unparalleled success in their respective fields. The success of Tennessee Titans GM Jon Robinson, a Belichick disciple, has made Caserio a hot name on the GM market. However, New England doesn't seem ready to lose him just yet, as they were willing to fight to keep Caserio in Foxborough.