New England is not happy with Houston going after its de facto general manager."

/>Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhitePats Pulpita New England Patriots communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpPatriots NewsOpinion and AnalysisContribute!About the SiteTopicsPatriotsOddsShopStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhitePatriots News Opinion and Analysis Contribute! FanPostsFanShotsAbout the Site List of Patriots Twitter AccountsWrite For Pats Pulpit!New User Welcome and Commenting GuideCommunity GuidelinesMastheadTopics Patriots Off-Season CoveragePatriots Opinion/AnalysisPatriots NewsPatriots Draft CoverageSportfolio ManagementFiled under:Patriots NewsPatriots Offseason CoveragePatriots file tampering charges against Texans for attempting to hire Nick CaserioNew Adrian Clayborn Jerseys 2019 ,76commentsNew England is not happy with Houston going after its de facto general manager.EDTShareTweetShareSharePatriots file tampering charges against Texans for attempting to hire Nick CaserioGreg M. Cooper-USA TODAY SportsSince the Houston Texans fired Brian Gaine last Friday, they are in the market for a new general manager. They have set their sights on a familiar name: Nick Caserio. This is, of course, not the first time the club is after the New England Patriots’ director of player personnel. Before hiring Gaine last January, after all White Jeremy Hill Jerseys , Houston asked the Patriots if it could conduct an interview with Caserio. New England declined the request at the time.The Texans ultimately settled on Gaine but with him no longer part of the organization are again trying to get Caserio on board — and are now accused of violating the NFL’s anti-tampering rules because of their efforts: as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Patriots have filed tampering charges against Houston for its pursuit of Caserio. The NFL is now “expected to gather relevant informant to open its investigation against Houston.”Two key elements of this investigation will be the timing of Gaine’s firing and the role of former Patriots team chaplain/character coach Jack Easterby.Let’s go through it step by step. Easterby left the Patriots after their Super Bowl win to pursue other opportunities, which he found in Houston where he was hired as executive vice president of team development in early April. Two months after joining the club, Easterby returned to his previous employer: he was in attendance for New England’s Super Bowl ring ceremony hosted by team owner Robert Kraft last Thursday.One day later, Gaine was fired and Houston out to get Caserio on board — filing an official interview request on Tuesday; it has not been granted by the Patriots to date. The timing of Gaine’s firing certainly looks suspicious one day after a likely meeting between Easterby and Caserio. New England apparently thinks it is more than just a coincidence Jeremy Hill Jerseys 2019 , but rather a violation of the league’s anti-tampering policy (p.2):Could Easterby have interfered and spoken with Caserio about potentially joining him in Houston? It certainly is possible, although we know nothing yet but the Patriots filing an official complaint.Patriots are reportedly in contact with free agent running back Mike Gillislee Entering 2018, the New England Patriots had one of the NFL’s deepest running back groups. Five weeks into the regular season, however, only two players remain: Sony Michel and James White White Phillip Dorsett Jerseys , who form a solid one-two punch that generated 411 yards and five touchdowns over the last two games. However, the lack of depth behind the duo it is concerning as the Patriots currently have no other running backs on their 53-man roster.It is therefore no surprise that the team is looking at outside options to add to the positional rotation. One player who on New England’s radar appears to be running back Mike Gillislee, according to NESN’s Doug Kyed:As Kyed notes, the Patriots have a history with Gillislee. The team signed the restricted free agent to a front-loaded two-year, $6.4 million contract last offseason. The former Buffalo Bill started well into his tenure with the club Phillip Dorsett Jerseys 2019 , scoring thrice in his regular season debut against the Kansas City Chiefs (coincidentally New England’s next opponent). However, Gillislee was soon surpassed on the depth chart by Dion Lewis and relegated to a backup role.Ultimately, Gillislee finished the 2017 season with just nine in-game appearances and 104 carries for 383 yards and five touchdowns. After the 27-year old failed to make the second-year jump this offseason, New England opted to move on from him in favor of free agency acquisition Jeremy Hill. Gillislee joined the New Orleans Saints after leaving the Patriots but was let go again when Mark Ingram returned from suspension.Now, there might be a spot for Gillislee on New England’s roster after all: with both Hill and Rex Burkhead on injured reserve White Stephon Gilmore Jerseys , the team is in need for more depth at running back – and the veteran might be the way to go. Even though he has been outplayed by Hill this summer, Gillislee knows the system and would be a more experienced option than practice squad member Ralph Webb.It would therefore not be a surprise to see him return to Foxboro soon.