Due to an injury and not attending college football camps where he could have been exposed to more recruiters, Cashman was lightly recruited out of high school in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. He enrolled at the University of Minnesota as a walk-on after considering North Dakota State, Minnesota-Duluth and St. Thomas where he would have played football and basketball.
“First and foremost, it’s going to come down to what my role is and how much of a priority I am for that team,” Cashman said Sunday night. “I feel like I’ve proved myself to be a three-down linebacker, whether it’s Mike linebacker or Will. Mike was new to me this year, I want to be able to listen to what opportunities are out there because it’s my first time in this position.
Cashman is expected to have a healthy market if he leaves the Texans and they may not be willing to spend enough to keep him from leaving. It’s not regarded as a lock at all that he’ll return and the Texans may explore a free agent market with an eye toward hard-hitting Tennessee Titans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, who’s interested in the Texans, per sources, after playing for Texans coach DeMeco Ryans with the San Francisco 49ers.
“I would say exciting more than anything, but definitely overwhelming,” Cashman said. “It’s a process that’s new to me. As you go through the process, you have to remain patient. It’s not until Monday when you can begin legally speaking to other teams and really find out what the legitimate offers are. With all the excitement and information gathering, it’s definitely exciting, but it’s a good problem to have. Excited is the one word I would use to describe it. I’m not going to lie.
When Cashman cashes in as a free agent, he plans to purchase a home. One goal: having a trophy room for his collection of game balls and jerseys.