Jake Olson

Texans Notes: Green, Perryman, Griffin, Staff

The Texans received updates on two injury situations with the potential to bleed over into training camp, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. It looks like Houston will see a defender back at full-speed, while an offensive starter may have a bit further to go.

Firstly, Wilson reported that free agent addition Denzel Perryman is nearly back to full-strength after recovering from labrum shoulder surgery. The former Raiders linebacker missed games last year with a dislocated shoulder before ultimately undergoing the procedure. The 30-year-old has graded out as a top-30 linebacker in each of his two years in Las Vegas, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He’s projected to start beside Christian Kirksey and Christian Harris in 2023.

On the offensive side of the ball, last year’s rookie starter at offensive guard, Kenyon Green, is still making his way back from an arthroscopic knee surgery that he underwent this offseason. New head coach DeMeco Ryans was noncommittal on when Green would return“We’ll see where Kenyon is come training camp,” Ryans told reporters. “For Kenyon, he has to be ready to go, and the work he puts in over the next few weeks will see if he’s ready and ready to go out and compete.”

Here are a few other rumors coming out of H-Town:

  • The Texans were recently able to add free agent cornerback Shaquill Griffin to their secondary. According to another report from Wilson, Houston wasn’t the only team with interest in the veteran corner. Griffin claims that along with his former team in Jacksonville and his new team in Houston, he felt interest from the Vikings and Commanders. He only made one visit, but his trip to Texas was enough to sell him on the team’s scheme and “energy.”
  • Houston was recently able to reach an agreement to extend defensive tackle Maliek Collins to a new two-year, $23MM deal with a reported $20MM of guaranteed money. Recent updates adjust the latter number slightly. Collins was actually guaranteed $20.5MM, consisting of a $10.5MM signing bonus, Collins’s 2023 base salary of $2MM, and his 2024 base salary of $8MM. His contract will also include a per game active bonus of $29,411 for a potential season total of $500k.
  • Lastly, there was a bit of a shakeup in the Texans’ front office last weekend. According to Wilson, former chief of staff Nick Kray is no longer with the organization. Kray came over with Ryans from the same position in San Francisco when Ryans took the head coaching gig in Houston. Since his departure, assistant to the coaches Jake Olson has taken over Kray’s duties. Olson was recently added to the staff after stints as Kent State director of football operations and Yale chief of staff.

Texans Finalize 2023 Coaching Staff

The Texans have made changes to most of their coaching staff this offseason, following the hire of new head coach DeMeco Ryans and then the additions of offensive and defensive coordinators Bobby Slowik and Matt Burke. Houston has since announced that the finalization of its coaching staff for the 2023 season, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. We’ve covered several of the minor staff updates as they’ve happened in real time, but here are the final updates that we have not yet reported.

On the offensive side of the ball, Houston announced a few names from former head coach Lovie Smith‘s staff that have been retained under Ryans. Running backs coach Danny Barrett will be sticking around after coaching rookie running back Dameon Pierce to an impressive first season of play. Also being retained are offensive assistants Jarrod James and DeNarius McGhee. McGhee has been with the team in this position since 2020, while James joined the staff last year.

Three other coaches were officially hired to the offensive staff. We had seen rumors that former Colts offensive line coach Chris Strausser was the favorite to coach the same position for Ryans in Houston, and that rumor was confirmed today as he was announced with the finalized staff. Also announced was assistant offensive line coach Cole Popovich, who hasn’t coached in the NFL since he parted ways with the Patriots in 2021. He spent last year as the offensive line coach at Troy. Lastly, Ryans and Slowik have brought on Bill Lazor as a senior offensive assistant. Lazor didn’t coach last year after being fired by the Bears but brings experience as someone who’s been an offensive coordinator for three NFL franchises.

On the defensive side of the ball, Houston kept a few mores names from Smith’s former staff. Cornerbacks coach Dino Vasso will return to coach a talented group that includes veterans Steven Nelson, Desmond King, and Tavierre Thomas, as well as youngster Derek Stingley. Ryans has also chosen to retain defensive assistant Ben Bolling. Other defensive assistants Ilir Emini and Dele Harding were not retained by Ryans and Burke. Lastly on defense, it had been rumored that former 49ers defensive passing game specialist and secondary coach Cory Undlin would be reuniting with Ryans in a similar role with the Texans. This latest announcement shows that Undlin will not have a position coaching role but has been officially hired as the team’s defensive pass-game coordinator.

There are a few more updates to wrap things up. We knew that special teams coordinator Frank Ross was being retained in Ryans’s new staff, but now we have word that assistant special teams coordinator Sean Baker will also be sticking around. We also have the official title for former Kent State director of football operations and Yale chief of staff Jake Olson. He will serve as assistant to the coaches in Houston. Lastly, Smith’s special assistant to the head coach for football performance, Tobijah Hughley, has not been retained under Ryans’ new staff.

There it is. The Texans are now ready to herald a new era under Ryans and his staff. The teams needs a lot of work following a 3-13-1 season, and now Ryans has the group of coaches on which he’ll rely to usher in this new age of Texans football.

NFL Coaching Updates: Broncos, Brown, Cowboys, Jaguars

Following the departure of former Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett, there has been a litany of change to the coaching staff in Denver. A few of the updates and notes have flown a bit under the radar. For instance, in the midst of new head coach Sean Payton attempting to find his new defensive coordinator, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that the team was interested in former Eagles linebackers coach Nick Rallis, who ended up getting hired for the same position in Arizona. Rapoport also avers that Philadelphia, knowing new Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon would be leaving their defensive coordinator position vacant, also had interest in retaining Rallis in an enhanced role as coordinator.

A rumor has also come to light that may explain a bit of why Payton and the Broncos have not yet filled the position. According to Mike Klis of 9NEWS, the Broncos are seeking to retain defensive line coach Marcus Dixon and secondary coach Christian Parker regardless of who they hire at the defensive coordinator position. While a flattering notion towards the two coaches, the move effectively handcuffs whoever accepts the position into working with the two, regardless of system fit. Many of former defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero‘s staff have departed to join him in Carolina, though, and this appears to be the dedication Denver must show in order to retain the remaining assistants.

Klis also tweeted of another departure from the Broncos staff. While not technically a coach, instructional designer John Viera will reportedly be following Hackett to New York. Klis describes Viera as the “coach to the coaches,” detailing that he would lead presentations to the coaching staff.

Here are a few other coaching rumors from around the league:

  • The Panthers hired one of the league’s up and coming coaches this past weekend, announcing the addition of Rams assistant head coach and tight ends coach Thomas Brown as their new offensive coordinator. Rams head coach Sean McVay reportedly didn’t want to lose Brown but didn’t feel he could block him from a great opportunity, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic. McVay regarded Brown as one of the best teachers he has worked with, and he was not the only one who noticed. Brown interviewed for the open Dolphins’ head coaching position last offseason and interviewed for the Texans’ job this year, as well. He was also a candidate for several other offensive coordinator positions. Brown’s considered a rising offensive mind in the game brings some intrigue to Carolina as a new play caller.
  • The Cowboys have added two former NFL players to their coaching staff for 2023. Former Vikings first round pick Sharrif Floyd will be officially added to the staff as the assistant defensive line and defensive quality control coach, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. The former defensive tackle, who played under Dan Quinn at Florida, worked with the staff during training camp last year. Todd Archer of ESPN adds that the team is also bringing on former safety and special teams ace Darian Thompson to serve as assistant linebackers and quality control coach. After spending much of 2021 on the practice squad, Thompson did not appear on the field in 2022.
  • In a tweet this week, the Jaguars announced two minor additions to their 2023 coaching staff. Jacksonville has hired former Bills wide receivers coach Chad Hall to serve in the same role for the Jaguars. After coaching Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis for the past four seasons, Hall will join Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson to coach a wide receivers group that surpassed all expectations in 2022 and may benefit even more with the potential addition of suspended receiver Calvin Ridley. The team has also added Greg Austin in the position of offensive quality control coach.
  • After hiring Brian Flores as their new defensive coordinator, the Vikings are parting ways with linebackers coach Greg Manusky, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Manusky has served as defensive coordinator for four different teams over the years. The veteran assistant should have plenty of options moving forward.
  • The Chargers announced a minor addition to their staff this week, according to Matt Zenitz of On3 Sports. Los Angeles will be bringing in former Georgia defensive analyst Robert Muschamp as a quality control coach. Muschamp is the nephew of Georgia co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Will Muschamp and joined his uncle in Athens after two years working in Tennessee.
  • The Texans have hired former Kent State director of football operations and Yale chief of staff Jake Olson to the coaching staff, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. It’s a bit unclear what his role will be, but he will don the title of assistant senior assistant.

Extra Points: Dolphins, Olson, Jets

The Dolphins selected four players in the first three rounds of the 2013 NFL Draft. The rookies had underwhelming seasons to say the least, and the Sun Sentinel’s Chris Perkins takes a look at the group. Third-overall pick Dion Jordan contributed mostly as a third-down pass rusher in a season riddled by injuries. Cornerback Jamar Taylor and guard Dallas Thomas also suffered through injures while cornerback Will Davis struggled to crack the defensive back rotation.

In spite of the player’s issues, the sophomores are confident they will rebound.

I feel like it was a learning experience for all of us,” said Taylor. “We all came here on our high horse and we got humbled real quick… There’s no doubt in my mind the Dolphins drafted the right players last year.

I’ve got high expectations on myself. I can’t really worry about what everybody else thinks. As long as I get the respect of my teammates and the coaches and myself, and just prove myself right, that I know I can do it, that’s all I worry about.”

Thomas is now the team’s starting left guard, but as Perkins points out, none of the other players are starters. It will be difficult for Jordan, Taylor and Davis to dethrone the veterans ahead of them on the depth chart.

Let’s see what else is going on around the NFL…