Houston, TX (My Sportsbook) - The Houston Texans named Denver Broncos former assistant general manager Rick Smith as their second general manager. Smith had been promoted to assistant general manager of the Broncos on March 16 this year and served as the director of pro personnel for six seasons. The Texans were in search of a new GM after Charley Casserly resigned last month, ending a tenuous stint that saw the expansion franchise never reach the playoffs. "We looked long and hard, and we have found the right man for the job," Texans owner Bob McNair said. "Rick was a candidate with whom coach (Gary) Kubiak was familiar during his time in Denver. Rick has a wonderful knowledge of the NFL and he has a plan in place to make the Texans a winner." Smith worked as a defensive backs coach for Denver in his first four seasons with the team, helping lead the defense that posted back-to-back Super Bowl wins in 1997-98. He became a member of the personnel department in 2000 and worked with current general manager Ted Sundquist in developing the Broncos roster. Smith was instrumental in acquiring defensive linemen Courtney Brown and Gerard Warren from Cleveland, and also helped in the free agent signing Ian Gold from Tampa Bay. "We got one of the brightest football minds in the business," said Kubiak. "Rick was instrumental in a lot of the moves we made in Denver and I know he will bring the same work ethic to the job here in Houston." |
