Texans Interview Leslie Frazier, David Culley
WEDNESDAY: Frazier’s second interview took place Tuesday, according to veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson (on Twitter). Culley met with Texans brass Wednesday morning but was called back to continue his second interview later this afternoon, per Anderson and the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson (Twitter links). This has become a “neck and neck” race, according to the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain.
While Eric Bieniemy has been in this process for a bit now, the Texans cannot bring him back for an interview until after Super Bowl LV. The Texans were seeking a second Bieniemy meeting but may well have a coach by the time he would be permitted to interview again.
MONDAY: The Texans have arranged second interviews with Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and Ravens assistant head coach David Culley as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Both are now eligible to interview for the Texans’ top job in person since their teams are out of the playoffs. 
Frazier served as the Vikings’ head coach for three-seasons-and-change, up until his dismissal in 2013. His 2012 team made the playoffs before falling to the Packers, but the rest of his run wasn’t all that successful. All in all, the Vikes went 21-32-1 with Frazier at the helm. Since then, he’s spent the past four seasons as the Bills’ DC, overseeing one of the league’s best defenses.
Culley, 65, got his coaching start at FCS program Austin Peay all the way back in 1978. Culley has never even been a coordinator at the NFL level, so it would be a pretty remarkable story if he’s able to land his first head coaching job in 2021. It’s worth noting that Ravens coach John Harbaugh has been a vocal supporter of Culley, who has a chance to secure the league’s last vacancy.
Whether it’s Culley, Frazier, or another coach, the Texans’ next HC will be tasked with getting the buy-in of franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Coaching Notes: Seahawks, Titans, Dolphins
We’ve got another couple of names to pass along for Seattle’s wide-ranging offensive coordinator search. The Seahawks want to interview Bills quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey and have already spoken with Rams pass-game coordinator Shane Waldron, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. They’ve been linked to what seems like every offensive coach in the league now, including Adam Gase and other big names. Dorsey was a backup quarterback in the league for a handful of years, and the 39-year-old was the Panthers’ quarterbacks coach from 2013-17.
He joined the Bills last season. Waldron is another young guy who has coached under Rams coach Sean McVay since 2016 since they were both with Washington. He started as McVay’s tight ends coach in Los Angeles before getting promoted to quarterbacks coach and pass-game coordinator. The Seahawks don’t appear to be honing in on anything in particular, and at this point it’s anyone’s guess who they’ll hire.
Here are more coaching notes from around the league:
- The Texans are the only team still with a head coach opening, but they aren’t letting one key assistant go out the door yet. They recently blocked offensive coordinator Tim Kelly from interviewing for OC openings with two other teams, and those interested teams were the Titans and Lions, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. Since it would be a lateral move and he’s still under contract, Houston can block those requests. As Breer points out, there has been buzz that Deshaun Watson likes Kelly, and the team could be looking to keep him in order to curry favor with their disgruntled starting quarterback. Detroit has since filled their vacancy with former Chargers coach Anthony Lynn.
- Speaking of the Titans’ opening, Tennessee will be interviewing Pep Hamilton for the job in the next few days, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. Hamilton was the Chargers’ quarterbacks coach this past year, and did a great job helping with the development of Justin Herbert, so he’s been drawing a lot of interest for OC jobs. He was talked about as a candidate in Miami, and is one of the finalists in Pittsburgh as well. The Titans of course are looking to replace Arthur Smith, now the head coach in Atlanta. Hamilton coordinated the Colts’ offense from 2013-15, and had a lot of success with Andrew Luck.
- The Dolphins are still looking for their OC, but they have made a different key hire on offense. The team has parted ways with quarterbacks coach Robby Brown and replaced him with former NFL passer Charlie Frye, they announced in a tweet. It’s the first NFL coaching gig for Frye, who was Central Michigan’s offensive coordinator the past two seasons. It’s interesting that they’d hire the QBs coach before the OC. A third-round pick of the Browns back in 2005, Frye also played with the Seahawks and Raiders until 2009.
Deshaun Watson Wants To Be Traded Regardless Of Who Head Coach Is
The Texans are seeking second interviews with Leslie Frazier and Eric Bieniemy for their head coaching vacancy, and both men would seem to be good bets to smooth things over with disgruntled quarterback Deshaun Watson. Frazier, who has previous HC experience, is seen as a strong leader and stabilizing influence, and his background as a defensive-minded coach would probably allow the team to keep Watson favorite Tim Kelly as OC. Meanwhile, Bieniemy was endorsed by Watson early on in the process and is widely regarded as a top offensive mind.
However, it appears that the situation is no longer salvageable. According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, Watson wants out of Houston and will not change his mind regardless of whom the team hires as its next HC (via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com on Twitter).
Assuming that’s true, that could obviously make the Texans’ job considerably less attractive. On the other hand, a Watson trade would net a bounty of much-needed draft picks, one of which could be used on a top rookie signal-caller. It does not presently appear as though Watson’s discontent is dissuading either Frazier or Bieniemy, as both men are said to be assembling potential staffs in case they should be hired. Though the loss of Watson would obviously sting, a power structure comprised of Frazier or Bieniemy as HC and Nick Caserio as GM has a lot of potential.
As of now, Watson — who would have to waive his no-trade clause to facilitate a deal — is reportedly interested in joining either the Dolphins or Jets, and the Panthers have been mentioned as a potential suitor as well. Both AFC East clubs have ample draft capital to get a deal done, and some sources believe Watson prefers the Jets.
However, Matt Miller of TheDraftScout.com says Gang Green is not Watson’s preferred destination at this point (Twitter link). Still, it would not be surprising to see the Jets enter the bidding, especially since Woody Johnson is returning from his post as former president Donald Trump’s ambassador to the United Kingdom and will resume his role as principal owner with final say on all matters. Although Rich Cimini of ESPN.com says Johnson will presumably allow his football people make the decision, Johnson’s love of splashy acquisitions at quarterback could add another layer of intrigue to the Watson matter.
With Matthew Stafford also requesting a trade, it figures to be a fascinating offseason of quarterback rumors.
Texans Seeking Second Interviews With Leslie Frazier, Eric Bieniemy
Jan. 24: Houston is indeed expected to request second interviews with Frazier and Bieniemy, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Both men believe they have a real chance of landing the job and have begun putting together potential staffs.
Jan. 23: The Texans’ coaching search has brought the most twists and turns of this cycle, but the team may be on the homestretch in its hiring process. They are at the second-interview stage.
Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier is “very likely” to meet with the Texans again next week, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. The parties met shortly after Buffalo’s divisional-round win over Baltimore, and Cal McNair came away from that summit impressed with the veteran coordinator and former Vikings HC’s leadership acumen, per JLC.
Frazier has not been a head coach since the Vikings fired him following the 2013 season. He has spent the past four seasons as Buffalo’s DC, overseeing one of the league’s best defenses in that span. The Texans cannot hire Frazier until the Bills’ season ends. They would be permitted to hire some of the other coaches they have interviewed at any point.
His Sunday opponent, Eric Bieniemy, may remain in the picture as well. He also cannot be hired until after his team’s season ends. Due to the patient (occasionally turbulent) nature of Houston’s search process, many around the league expect a second Bieniemy meeting as well, La Canfora adds. To recap, the Texans have gone from planning to interview Bieniemy (pre-Nick Caserio) to leaving him off their candidate list to changing course and speaking with him this week to potentially making him a finalist.
A Frazier hire would be interesting given the Texans’ Deshaun Watson situation. While Watson has also advocated for Bieniemy, he has shown support for OC Tim Kelly to stay as well. Bieniemy arriving would likely mean Kelly heads elsewhere, but Frazier being a defensive coach would keep a reality where Kelly continues to call Texans plays in play. The Texans blocked other teams from speaking with Kelly this week.
Here is how Houston’s HC search looks as of Saturday afternoon, via PFR’s tracker.
- Eric Bieniemy, Chiefs offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/18
- Joe Brady, Panthers offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/5
- Jim Caldwell, former Colts and Lions head coach: Received second interview on 1/22
- David Culley, Ravens AHC/wide receivers coach: Interviewed on 1/18
- Matt Eberflus, Colts defensive coordinator: Initially declined interview request; interviewed on 1/16
- Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern head coach: Rumored candidate
- Leslie Frazier, Bills defensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/17
- Josh McCown, Texans quarterback: Interviewed on 1/22
Deshaun Watson Eyeing Jets Over Dolphins?
As the Texans progress on their slow-moving head coaching search, Deshaun Watson‘s discontent with the franchise appears to remain. The quarterback is eyeing destinations for a potential trade out of Houston.
The Texans have received calls on Watson, whose unhappiness surfaced more than two weeks ago, but have not budged yet. However, multiple AFC East teams look to be in play for the quarterback whose contract contains a no-trade clause. Watson is interested in playing for the Dolphins or Jets, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports, but at this point would prefer a Jets deal.
Watson is believed to have told people this week he would rank the Jets over the Dolphins among destinations, due largely to the latter’s Robert Saleh hire. Watson wanted the Texans to include the former 49ers DC in their coach search, per Salguero. The Texans did not interview Saleh.
Both teams make sense as prospective Watson suitors. Each has two first-round picks this year, with both teams holding top-three selections. Both teams have former top-five QBs on the roster already, but Saleh stopped short of committing to Sam Darnold for 2021. Dolphins GM Chris Grier did name Tua Tagovailoa the team’s 2021 starter. This is not the first time the Dolphins have surfaced in prospective Watson trade talks, however. Tagovailoa would likely be a Texans target if the teams discussed Watson.
The Jets and Dolphins reside on the low end as far as skill-position talent goes, joining the Texans in that sector. Each team has a need at wide receiver. As of now, the Jets far outflank the Dolphins in cap space ahead of what could be a robust receiver market. Gang Green is projected to hold more than $60MM in cap room; Miami is projected to possess just more than $20MM.
It is believed Watson could pry three first-round picks in a trade, though a top-three pick headlining the package could change that equation. As of now, the Texans view Watson as their cornerstone player. Both Cal McNair and Nick Caserio have pledged the 25-year-old Pro Bowler will be back in Houston next season. For now, however, Watson remains a disgruntled employee. Considering the rare trade value he possesses, speculation on destinations will continue.
Texans Interview Jim Caldwell, Josh McCown For HC Job
The NFL’s last remaining head coaching search took another interesting turn Friday. While the Texans have contacted former Colts and Lions HC Jim Caldwell about their vacancy, they also announced they spoke with Josh McCown about the opening Friday as well.
This marks Caldwell’s second interview for the job. The former Lions and Colts HC spoke with the Texans in December, but the team’s search took on a different tone after Nick Caserio‘s GM hire.
McCown began this season with Eagles, residing as the NFL’s oldest practice squad player and operating as a remote emergency quarterback, but signed with the Texans in November. The 41-year-old QB would be one of the most unorthodox choices in modern NFL history, but the Texans are exploring the prospect of hiring McCown and pairing him with at least one former head coach, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.
The 19-year veteran has been viewed as a future coach and is interesting under contract with the Texans through 2021. The team viewed the well-regarded backup as a culture-type signing and a player who could help as a coach immediately after retirement. This would certainly spark debate, however. While players jumping straight into HC roles has happened in the NBA — like Jason Kidd or Derek Fisher — McCown would be a controversial hire considering the NFL’s current imbalance between white and minority head coaches.
McCown’s previous plan was to spend time watching his sons play football after retirement. A leap into a head coaching position would certainly change his schedule. And making such a move before gaining any experience as an assistant would represent a risk for McCown. That said, the 49ers hired John Lynch as GM without experience and paired him with Kyle Shanahan. The 49ers won the NFC in that regime’s third year. Of course, this backfired with Matt Millen in Detroit.
A McCown hire would run beyond the “outside the box” label, but this is now something to monitor for a Texans team that began the week interviewing popular HC candidate Eric Bieniemy. The Texans remain interested in Colts DC Matt Eberflus, whom the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin notes (via Twitter) is a frontrunner for the job. Houston has interviewed eight candidates for the position. Eberflus initially declined an interview request but met with Nick Caserio and Co. on Sunday.
Caldwell (feat. Peyton Manning) coached the Colts to a Super Bowl in his first season as Indianapolis’ HC but was out of a job after his third. Caldwell elevated the Lions to a playoff berth in his first year with Detroit in 2014 but was fired after a 9-7 2017 season. The 66-year-old coach experienced a health issue that caused him to step away from his post as Dolphins QBs coach in 2019, but he is back to full health and would certainly represent an experienced right-hand man for McCown or another younger coach.
Texans Deny Tim Kelly Interview Requests
The Texans have denied interview requests from teams interested in offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Tim Kelly (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle). The Texans have yet to hire their next head coach, but they seem intent on keeping Kelly as a part of their staff. 
Kelly, who will turn 35 this offseason, has spent the last two years as the Texans’ offensive coordinator. Bill O’Brien called the plays in Kelly’s first year with Houston. Last year, he ceded the headset to Kelly.
Deshaun Watson, who has lobbied for more control over the team’s hiring decisions, has been one of Kelly’s biggest advocates.
“Tim over the past two years has really taken my game to a whole another level as far as just knowledge, reading defenses, understanding run points and run schemes, understanding the way of different concepts and different situations,” said Watson. “His knowledge of just the game of football is very, very bright and he really helped me take my game, especially this year, the best football I’ve played in my career.”
With Kelly in command, Watson threw for a league-high 4,823 yards with 33 touchdown passes against seven interceptions. It sounds like Kelly will continue to serve as Watson’s guru in 2021.
Teams Inquiring On Deshaun Watson, Texans Not Budging Yet
As the Deshaun Watson drama with the Texans continues to unfold, the league’s other 31 teams are surely paying close attention. There have been increasing reports that the two sides could be headed for divorce, as we heard over the weekend that many in Houston’s building believe Watson has played his last snap for the team.
We’re still in the very early stages, but it sounds like teams are beginning to circle in anticipation of a potential frenzy. Teams have already begun calling the Texans and inquiring about Watson, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports (Twitter video link). As Rapoport cautions, the Texans still haven’t budged or shown a willingness to engage in talks yet, and he also notes that Watson still hasn’t formally requested a trade.
Interestingly, Rapoport says to “keep an eye on” the Panthers in the event that Watson becomes available. He highlights new owner David Tepper’s bold approach, as well as the failure of Teddy Bridgewater to establish himself as the franchise guy this season. That would be a huge splash from Matt Rhule, and Rapsheet says if it reaches the point where the Texans shop Watson then Carolina should not be discounted.
It’s not surprising that teams are already making exploratory calls, and if Houston really does decide to trade Watson it could take a while for things to get sorted out because of the size of the package that would need to be coming back.
If Watson were to be dealt, it would take multiple first-round picks and likely solid players as well, at a minimum. We’ll keep you posted as we hear more on this ever-evolving situation.
Updated 2021 NFL Draft Order
With the Divisional Round in the books, the 2021 NFL Draft order is mostly complete. The Rams, Browns, Ravens, and Saints now have their draft spots locked in, though the Rams’ first-round pick belongs to Urban Meyer and the Jaguars. The Rams traded those rights to Jacksonville as a part of the Jalen Ramsey blockbuster.
Here’s the updated draft order, through the top 28:
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
2. New York Jets
3. Miami Dolphins (via Texans)
4. Atlanta Falcons
5. Cincinnati Bengals
6. Philadelphia Eagles
7. Detroit Lions
8. Carolina Panthers
9. Denver Broncos
10. Dallas Cowboys
11. New York Giants
12. San Francisco 49ers
13. Los Angeles Chargers
14. Minnesota Vikings
15. New England Patriots
16. Arizona Cardinals
17. Las Vegas Raiders
18. Miami Dolphins
19. Washington Football Team
20. Chicago Bears
21. Indianapolis Colts
22. Tennessee Titans
23. New York Jets (via Seahawks)
24. Pittsburgh Steelers
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (via Rams)
26. Cleveland Browns
27. Baltimore Ravens
28. New Orleans Saints
Texans Interviewing Eric Bieniemy
The Texans will conduct a virtual interview with Eric Bieniemy on Monday, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Ordinarily, assistants in the midst of the playoffs are not allowed to interview. However, Bieniemy has been given the green light by KC and the league office.
Deshaun Watson has been pushing the Texans to consider Bieniemy for the head coaching vacancy. However, the Texans didn’t reach out to the Chiefs offensive coordinator until just last week. At this point, it’s not clear if Bieniemy is a real candidate for the job, or if owner Cal McNair is just looking to mollify his star quarterback.
Watson wanted to be involved in the GM search, but he was kept out of the loop throughout the process. He learned about Nick Caserio‘s hiring at the same time as everyone else, and he wasn’t happy about it. On the plus side, Watson doesn’t have any problems with Caserio — his beef is with McNair & Co. and their lack of communication.
Here’s the rundown of the Texans’ HC search, via PFR’s tracker:
- Eric Bieniemy, Chiefs offensive coordinator: Interview requested
- Joe Brady, Panthers offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/5
- David Culley, Ravens AHC/wide receivers coach: To be interviewed
- Matt Eberflus, Colts defensive coordinator: Initially declined interview request; interviewed on 1/16
- Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern head coach: Rumored candidate
- Leslie Frazier, Bills defensive coordinator: To be interviewed
- Arthur Smith, Titans offensive coordinator: Accepted Falcons HC job
- Brandon Staley, Rams defensive coordinator: Interview requested