Crennel adding responsibilities

INDIANAPOLIS – Texans coach Bill O’Brien said Romeo Crennel, elevated from defensive coordinator to assistant head coach, will have multiple responsibilities in his new position.

When O’Brien promoted linebackers coach Mike Vrabel to defensive coordinator, he moved Crennel into his new role that calls for him to work closely with his head coach.

Under Crennel, the Texans finished first in defense last season when they won the AFC South for the second consecutive season before losing at New England in the playoffs.

“I think it was important to keep our staff together, and I think it was really important to make sure Romeo knew what I wanted him to do as the assistant head coach as it relates to doing things to help me, especially with me being a little bit more involved with the offense,” O’Brien said at the scouting combine.

O’Brien, who didn’t name an offensive coordinator after parting with George Godsey, will call the plays. Crennel, who was head coach at Cleveland and Kansas City, will assist O’Brien in a number of areas.

“He’s going to do a lot of different things,” O’Brien said. “Let’s just start with the offseason. He’s looking at different opponents for me. He’s helping me with the draft.”

Welker is ‘going to help’

During Bill O’Brien’s five seasons as an assistant coach in New England, where he served as Bill Belichick’s offensive coordinator, one of their most productive players was receiver Wes Welker.

Welker’s 12-year career ended in 2015, and after taking a year off, he wanted to enter the coaching field. It seemed like a natural that O’Brien would hire him for an entry-level position.

Welker is attending the combine with the Texans’ coaches in his new job as an offensive and special teams assistant.

“He always expressed a desire to coach,” O’Brien said about the former Texans Tech star. “He meant a lot to me in my career.”

While playing for O’Brien from 2007-2011, Welker had four seasons with at least 100 catches and 1,000 yards.

“You get attached to players like that. The way he practiced, the way he loved the game. So, we kept in touch when I went to Penn State — text message here and there — and then when I got to Houston he was toward the end of his career. Obviously, deciding whether he was going to keep playing or try to coach, learn how to coach. So, we had an opportunity to hire him after he decided to stop playing. He’s going to help us.”

Saleh, LaFleur land new jobs

Two former Texans assistant coaches, Robert Saleh and Matt LaFleur, have new jobs as first-time coordinators.

New San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan hired Saleh as his first defensive coordinator, and new Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay hired LaFleur as his first offensive coordinator.

During Shanahan’s four seasons (2006-09) with the Texans, he worked with Saleh and LaFleur.

“I’ve been around him and know him as a person,” Shanahan said. “I know the path he’s taken and the people he’s been around. I know how valuable he was to Pete Carroll’s staff in Seattle, how valuable he was to Gus Bradley in Jacksonville. Saleh’s a very smart guy and can understand any scheme and has a plan.”

Fournette weighs in

LSU running back Leonard Fournette tried to douse the first serious question — his weight. He tipped the scales at 240 pounds, five more than his playing weight. It was also heavier than anyone anticipated.

The explanation: It’s the water.

“Well, I drank a lot of water before I weighed in,” he said, trying to brush it off. “It came right off.”