Nick Caserio no longer inexplicably trapped by Patriots

Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio is finally allowed to interview with other organizations.

The New England Patriots ended 2020 on a high note by defeating the New York Jets, but this is hardly time to bask in that glory, if you can even call it that, as their all-important offseason can officially commence.

While league rules forbid them from making any major roster upgrades for the next few months, they can start determining which players will and won’t return to the franchise. At the same time, the Patriots can also begin identifying potential free agent and trade targets that will hopefully help them compete for the playoffs next season.

As enticing as that sounds, however, the Patriots could have another individual factoring in to those decisions. Per reports, director of player personnel Nick Caserio is gaining steam as a top target of teams with general manager vacancies.

You might say that the Patriots can just block any attempt to lure him away from his current post like years past, but that’s finally no longer the case. During last offseason, the NFL instituted a rule that prevented teams from writing language into contracts that prohibited high-ranking executives from taking interviews with other organizations.

Caserio is a brilliant mind when it comes to evaluating talent and the selfish part of us would obviously hate to see him leave the Patriots. However, it’s about damn time that he’s cleared to take interviews that could lead to a potential promotion elsewhere.

Remember when Houston attempted to poach him from the Patriots last summer after they canned GM Brian Gaine? Caserio was tabbed as his top replacement, but the Texans never got the chance to speak with him. Instead, they were famously hit with tampering charges.

According to reports, both Houston and Carolina have requested an interview with Caserio for their respective GM vacancies, and there isn’t a thing the Patriots can do about it. The 45-year-old exec has been with the franchise since 2001 and has served in various roles during that span, including personnel assistant, offensive coaching assistant, and even receivers coach for a year.

It remains to be seen if Caserio will accept those interviews, but if he does, Bill Belichick could be left overseeing what’s shaping up to be the Patriots’ most important offseason in recent memory all by himself.

At this rate, you have to think his market will only continue to grow, so stay tuned for updates.

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