Ex-Texans Executive Chris Olsen Joins Atlanta Falcons

After the 2019 season, the Houston Texans suddenly fired Chris Olsen, who was their senior vice president of football administration, their chief contract negotiator, and one of the heads on the Texans then-general manager hydra. Shortly before Olsen’s firing, the Texans couldn’t file the paperwork correctly on their extension of punter Bryan Anger, and they signed Whitney Mercilus to a ludicrous contract extension.

Since Olsen’s firing, the Texans signed Eric Murray and Randall Cobb to ridiculous contracts in free agency. They turned DeAndre Hopkins, who the Texans suddenly couldn’t afford or manipulate the cap bump his bonus money, into David Johnson, Brandin Cooks, and Ross Blacklock. They signed Laremy Tunsil and Deshaun Watson to short contract extensions that will allow both players to hit the open market again where they will receive a second enormous pay day. These were all bad decisions to varying degrees. Having someone who understands how the NFL salary cap works and how to negotiate contracts would have been welcome last offseason as the Texans put together a 4-12 football team. Olsen would have been better at handling the minutiae of NFL contracts that, say, Jack Easterby.

Olsen has landed back on his feet. He signed a new contract to have a similar role in Atlanta to work with their new general manager, Terry Fontenot, for the Falcons.

Most Texans fans will find new teams to root for next year as their favorite players get strewn across the league. You can put the Falcons on that list, along with wherever J.J. Watt and potentially Deshaun Watson end up.