Houston Texans Source

Houston Texans general manager Charley Casserly resigned Wednesday, saying he was leaving on his own terms to pursue a job in the NFL’s front office.

There was speculation Casserly would be fired in the wake of the Texans’ 2-14 season and their controversial choice for the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.

The Texans passed over Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush and hometown favorite Vince Young to take defensive end Mario Williams with the top choice in last month’s draft.

Texans owner Bob McNair said Casserly was never going to be fired. Casserly will officially step down June 1. …

New Orleans and Miami swapped yong linebackers in a trade that sent Courtney Watson to the Dolphins and Eddie Moore to the Saints.

Date	Opponent	Time/Result
Sep 11	@Buffalo	1:00pm
Sep 18	Pittsburgh	1:00pm
Week 3	BYE
Oct 2	@Cincinnati	1:00pm
Oct 9	Tennessee	1:00pm
Oct 16	@Seattle	8:30pm
Oct 23	Indianapolis	1:00pm
Oct 30	Cleveland	1:00pm
Nov 6	@Jacksonville	1:00pm
Nov 13	@Indianapolis	1:00pm
Nov 20	Kansas City	8:30pm
Nov 27	St. Louis	1:00pm
Dec 4	@Baltimore	1:00pm
Dec 11	@Tennessee	1:00pm
Dec 18	Arizona	1:00pm
Dec 24	Jacksonville	1:00pm
Jan 1	@San Francisco	4:05pm

Similar to a football coach looking to trim his team before the final roster is due, Texans cheerleading coordinator Alto Gary had the unenviable task Tuesday night of announcing her final cheerleading squad for the 2005-06 football season.

From a group of 54 women that advanced past the first four rounds of cuts, Gary chose 34 cheerleaders to represent the Texans. The 35 th member of the team will be selected from among three candidates by fans, who can log onto HoustonTexans.com or ABC13.com following ABC 13’s broadcast of “The Making of a Houston Texans Cheerleader” on Sunday, May 7 at 10:35 p.m.

The audition last night took place in the Verizon West Club at Reliant Stadium. With the women separated into 13 groups of four and one group of two, onlookers witnessed a lengthy tryout that involved interviews, side and front kicks, as well as two choreographed dance routines that the women learned during the previous rounds and in four practices leading up to the finals.

It wasn’t until approximately 9 p.m., more than three hours after the event began, that the final squad was announced. As Gary describes it, this year’s team features a combination of talent.

“When I saw the finalists on the first night of practice, I felt I could take 50 of them if I had the resources,” Gary said. “What we were looking for this year, and of course what every coach wants, is a well-rounded girl. The women were judged on their dance, character and appearance. I usually tell them that if they can knock out two of those three, they have a good chance. The ultimate is to have all three.”

The tension was palpable throughout the tryout, even for veteran cheerleaders. Ginger, who was one of the Texans’ cheerleader captains last season, said that her anxiety
level was extra high this year.

“I think every year I’m just as nervous even though I’ve had previous experiences,” she said. “I was actually less nervous my first time trying out because now I have more to lose. So it’s harder.”

Ginger was one of several former Texans cheerleaders to make the team. Since a number of other cheerleaders from last season declined to audition again, many new women also made the squad.

The cheerleaders’ first performance will be at the 2006 Houston Texans Draft Party on April 29 at 10 a.m. For information on the event, or to register, click here. Also, don’t forget to tune in to ABC 13 on May 7 at 10:35 p.m. to watch “The Making of a Houston Texans Cheerleader.”

Eric Moulds thinks he is one of the missing pieces the Houston Texans need to help revive an offense was among the NFL’s worst last season.

 

The Texans will add another huge piece on April 29 when they pick first in the draft, but for now the former Pro Bowl receiver is the team’s biggest offseason acquisition.

Moulds was introduced in Houston on Monday after being traded from the Buffalo Bills for a fifth-round pick last week.

"I looked at the weapons they have with Andre (Johnson) and David Carr and I just thought they were missing a couple other players to get them over the top," he said. "And I feel like I’m one of those players that can help them."

Moulds had two years remaining on his contract with the Bills, but said he wouldn’t return after he twice refused to take a major pay cut last month. The 10-year veteran was scheduled to count about $10.8 million against Buffalo’s salary cap.

He signed a four-year, $14 million contract with Houston that includes a $5 million signing bonus.

Moulds should immediately give a boost to Johnson, who struggled last season as the Texans failed to establish another credible receiving threat.

Last season was the worst performance of Johnson’s three-year career. He had 688 yards receiving after piling up 1,142 yards and getting a Pro Bowl nod in 2004.

"I think now defenses have to play more honest," Moulds said. "They’re going to have to account for Andre on the other side. They’re going to have to account for me on one side if they double Andre. So our game is going to help each other out and I think it is going to help to make David Carr a more successful quarterback."

General manager Charley Casserly introduced Moulds, saying his presence gives Houston its best receiving corps in the team’s short history.

"We’re very happy to have Eric with us," Casserly said. "He gives us a proven receiver to go along with Andre Johnson. Now we can line up and we have two first class wide receivers and we feel very fortunate about that."

Moulds had 675 career catches for 9,096 yards and 48 touchdowns in 10 seasons with Buffalo. Only Andre Reed has more catches (941) and yards (13,095) among Bills receivers.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound player had 81 receptions for 816 yards and four touchdowns in 15 games with Buffalo last season. He has caught at least 50 passes in each of the last eight seasons and has four career 1,000 yards seasons.

He said that other teams, notably Philadelphia, courted him but that Houston seemed the "most sincere" in its desire to sign him.

After playing with a virtual revolving door of quarterbacks in his 10-year career, Moulds said Houston’s commitment to Carr was an attractive aspect of coming to Houston.

The Texans exercised the option on Carr’s contract in January to keep him with the team for at least three more seasons.

"I played with 10 different quarterbacks and so now that I know that David Carr is the guy, he and I and Andre can just get on the same page and just work," Moulds said. "We look good on paper right now. Now it’s up to us to go out there and get it done."

After spending his entire NFL career in Buffalo, Moulds said he is looking forward to Nov. 19, when Houston hosts the Bills.

"It’s going to be emotional," he said.