This feels like another Bobby
The Houston Texans offensive coordinator search has concluded with the Texans hiring of Los Angeles Rams’ TE coach and passing game coordinator Nick Caley, per Ian Rapoport. This will be Caley’s first time as an offensive coordinator.
The #Texans are hiring #Rams TEs coach and pass game coordinator Nick Caley as their new OC, as CJ Stroud and the Houston offense get a new play-caller, per me and @TomPelissero.
Caley drew interest from the #Jets and #Patriots. He was selective and lands in Houston. pic.twitter.com/Ol2stMfgDT
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 3, 2025
This is an interesting hire as Caley was not the play caller in Los Angeles; that duty was maintained by head coach Sean McVay and occasionally offensive coordinator Mike LeFleur.
Caley cut his teeth coaching at the collegiate level, moving between schools before joining New England as an offensive assistant in 2015. He remained with the Patriots until 2022, then transitioned to Los Angeles as tight ends coach.
Caley is the next stem from the Shanahan-style West Coast offense tree. This should be fairly similar to that of the current Houston Texans offense. The Rams ran outside zone scheme the most last season and this should return as a fixture of Caley’s impending offense. How this fits the Texans offensive line who shifted away from outside zone this past season will be an intriguing story to watch. The Rams also prefer to keep their QB Matthew Stafford under center, which will continue to be an adjustment for C.J. Stroud who primarily takes snaps out of the gun.
Caley had reportedly rejected the New York Jets OC offer earlier this week. The Texans offer and opportunity must have been significantly more favorable to the coach. He also rejected a return to New England this time last season to assumer their offensive coordinator role.
The new OC’s background in tight ends should bode well for Dalton Schultz who took an immense leap in role when both Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs went down with season ending injuries. He will also have to mold Cade Stover whose rookie season was productive but ended prematurely with a shoulder injury. Caley was the tight ends coach in New England when Rob Gronkowski won All-Pro honors in 2017. He also oversaw the ascension of Tyler Higbee in Los Angeles in 2023.
Houston has hired a young, promising, but overall inexperienced coach for a critical role. This is quite different both strategically and emotionally from the potential hiring of Chip Kelly, but Texans fans should feel optimistic about another new play caller in Houston.