The Houston Texans’ search for a new head coach has not gone too swimmingly. The backdrop here obviously includes Houston Texans rumors suggesting that star quarterback Deshaun Watson wants to be traded.
The only team yet to fill its head coach opening, Houston is ramping up efforts to bring someone with experience in to replace the fired Bill O’Brien.
Related: If you’re a fan of the Texans, check out #WeAreTexans rumors, rankings and news here.
Leslie Frazier seen as favorite to land Texans’ head coach job
“I think Leslie Frazier is the favorite for the Texans’ job. And the Bills’ defensive coordinator, as I see it, is exactly what Houston needs—a sort of adult in the room,” Albert Breer of MMQB reported.
Another report from Tom Pelissero of NFL Media indicates that Frazier will join Ravens associate head coach David Culley in receiving a second interview for the vacancy.
Houston can now interview Frazier after his Buffalo Bills were eliminated from the playoffs in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
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A head coach with the Minnesota Vikings from 2010-13, most of Frazier’s experience comes as a defensive coordinator in the NFL. That includes spending the past four years in this role with the Bills.
Prior to that, the 61-year-old Frazier served as a defensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals (2003-04), Vikings (2007-10) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2014-15). He’s led seven top-10 defenses throughout his NFL career.
Houston Texans rumors continue to link team to David Culley
A veteran assistant dating back to his days as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ quarterbacks coach in 1994-95, Culley has served as the wide receiver coach and assistant head coach under John Harbaugh with the Baltimore Ravens over the past two seasons.
Culley, 65, being considered for a head coach job is rather interesting in that he doesn’t have any NFL experience as a play-caller. In fact, his last experience calling plays was for UTEP back in 1990.
Even then, he’s a highly-respected individual around the NFL world. It will be interesting to see if anything comes to fruition on this end with reports surfacing that Frazier is favored to land the Texans’ job.
There’s also a chance that Houston attempts to bring Culley in as its offensive coordinator should the defensive-minded Frazier be hired. As of right now, it’s anyone’s best guess that the embattled Texans brass is thinking right now.
What we do know is that a new hire is unlikely to change Deshaun Watson’s stance. He wants out of dodge, and the Texans have had internal discussions about potential trade partners.
Any head coach candidate taking the Texans’ job would be tasked with rebuilding a fledgling ship. Houston does not have a pick in either of the first two rounds in the 2021 NFL Draft. Its star quarterback wants out. Meanwhile, the team is willing to trade J.J. Watt.
Fun times, indeed.