HOUSTON – Defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire is being hired by the Cleveland Browns to coach the same position, per a league source.
His contract expired with the Texans.
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Cesaire will now coach Browns All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett, a former top overall selection and consensus All-American at Texas A&M.
The Texans set a franchise record with 46 sacks this past season as they won the AFC South championship and a wild-card playoff game. They also finished sixth in run defense.
Cesaire coached Pro Bowl alternate defensive end Jonathan Greenard as he recorded a career-high 12 1/2 sacks.
Cesaire, a former NFL defensive lineman originally hired by former coach Lovie Smith, is moving on.
“We did some great things over there,” Cesaire told KPRC 2. “Got nothing but love for those guys. It’s all good.”
Former University of Miami defensive ends coach Rod Wright, a Houston native and assistant defensive line coach, is an internal candidate to replace Cesaire.
An external candidate for the job is San Francisco 49ers assistant defensive line coach Darry Tapp.
A former All-Big 12 and All-American selection at the University of Texas who was teammates with San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan with the Longhorns, Wright is a former Miami Dolphins seventh-round draft pick.
Wright grew up in Houston and was an All-American and all-district selection at Hastings.
Playing for Mack Brown, Wright was named Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and a first-team All-Big 12 selection.
Wright has coached at East Carolina, Sam Houston State, Texas San-Antonio.
At UTSA, he was co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach.
He had Bill Walsh Diversity coaching fellowships with the Seattle Seahawks and 49ers. He was also a student assistant and defensive special assistant at Texas.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.