D-line coach won’t return
Smith holdover Cesaire is out after two seasons
At least one assistant coach on the Texans’ staff won’t be returning for the 2024 season.
The Texans will let defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire’s contract expire, a source with knowledge of the decision said. Cesaire was not fired. He just won’t return for his third season and will explore other options, a source added.
Cesaire was one of the holdovers from Lovie Smith’s staff. He joined the Texans in 2022 after spending two seasons as the assistant defensive line coach in Buffalo. His contract was up after this season.
Potential candidates to replace him include assistant defensive line coach Rod Wright, an Alief Hastings graduate and former Texas Longhorn who joined coach DeMeco Ryans’ staff after spending the 2022 season coaching defensive ends at the University of Miami.
The Texans set a franchise record for sacks (46) in 2023. They were also sixth-best in the NFL against the run during the regular season, allowing 1,643 yards. In 2022, they were the worst in the NFL and allowed 2,894 yards rushing.
But the Texans struggled in two of the past three weeks, including against the Ravens in their divisional playoff game.
The Ravens ran for 229 yards and two touchdowns against them. It was the second time in three weeks that the Texans allowed 200 yards rushing. They also allowed the Colts in Week 18 to gain more than 200 yards.
Ryans said one of his priorities this offseason is to improve the defensive line. The front seven was a strength during his two seasons as defensive coordinator with the 49ers.
“The front, again, is everything for me, and we’ll invest a ton of resources into the front,” Ryans said Monday. “If you want to play good defense, your front has to be elite, and that’s what I envision us playing: elite defensive football.
“And we have to get bet
ter there — and to get better there — you have to invest the resources there up front, so that’s what we’ll do. That’s where our focus is heading into the offseason is to make sure our front gives us an opportunity to win some games.”
The Texans have two key and important starters on the defensive line, who are slated to be free agents this offseason when the new league years begins in March.
Defensive end Jonathan Greenard, who led the team with 12 1⁄2 sacks and 15 tackles for loss, was arguably the team’s best defensive player in 2023. The Texans drafted him in the third round in 2020. He’s set to become a free agent.
And defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, who signed a one-year deal last offseason, had six sacks and nine tackles for loss, will also be a free agent.
The eight-year veteran was one of the teams leaders who helped bridge the defensive line together. He was a mentor to rookie defensive end Will Anderson Jr., and defensive tackle Maliek Collins credited Rankins for improving the communica“So, tion when he arrived.
“Jonathan, specifically, he did a really great job for us,” Ryans said, when asked about Greenard. “I think it was his most productive year, his best year of his career. He did some really great things to allow us to be in the position to win some games. Everything I believe in, it starts up front with the rush and also with the offensive line and protecting. we’ll continue to build with our fronts.”
Though Ryans didn’t explicitly say it, it sounds like he wants both back.
Other pending free agent defensive linemen around the league include D.J. Reader, Justin Madubuike, Quinton Jefferson and Christian Wilkins. The Texans could also decide to draft a defensive lineman with one of their draft picks.