New England’s Nick Caserio would make sense as Giants’ Dave Gettleman replacement

If the New York Giants move on from Dave Gettleman as general manager at the end of what is clearly turning into yet another disappointing season it makes absolute sense that Gettleman’s replacement would be someone who has history with Giants head coach Joe Judge.

That is why the report from Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports that New England Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio “will be near the top of their list of candidates” should surprise no one.

Judge is going nowhere regardless of what the Giants’ record ultimately ends up being this season. Giants’ ownership has said they recognize the need to be more patient with Judge than they were with Ben McAdoo or Pat Shurmur. Both of those coaches got two seasons.

Truth is, the 44-year-old Caserio has been at or near the top of everyone’s list of GM candidates for several years now.

Caserio has been with the Patriots in a variety of roles, both as a coach and front office executive, since 2001. He has been in the director of player personnel role, which is now a pseudo-GM role in New England, since 2008.

In the last version of his annual GM candidate study, written prior to the 2020 hiring cycle, Dan Hatman listed Caserio among “Oft-mentioned GM Candidates that tend to decline interviews.”

The Houston Texans tried to lure Caserio away from New England prior to this season as his Patriots contract was set to expire after the 2020 NFL Draft. Caserio, though, agreed to a contract extension to stay in New England. The length of that extension is unknown.

LaCanfora wrote that the Giants have “long had interest” in Caserio. You can translate that, roughly, to they were interested in Caserio when they hired Gettleman. Whether he declined an interview or wasn’t given permission by the Patriots to talk to the Giants only Gettleman and Louis Riddick were formally interviewed at that time.

The Giants are 10-29 since Gettleman became general manager, and few of his major moves have achieved the hoped-for results.