The Houston Texans will transition to a new defensive leader in 2020.
Defensive line coach Anthony Weaver is expected to become the Texans defensive coordinator, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Monday morning, per sources informed of the situation.
Weaver's elevation to DC comes as the Texans are moving on from longtime assistant Romeo Crennel. Pelissero and NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Crennel isn't expected to return as defensive coordinator.
The Texans will have more meetings this week to determine what role, if any, Crennel will have with the team moving forward. With his contract expiring, Crennel could return as a senior assistant or retire. The 72-year-old has been the Texans defensive coordinator since 2014 after head coaching stints in Cleveland and Kansas City. His time in Houston has been marked by some stellar game plans -- particularly against the New England Patriots -- but far too much inconsistency, including the inability to adjust on the fly in the postseason loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The promotion of the 39-year-old Weaver keeps a familiar face in a key role in Houston. Weaver, a former second-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens out of Notre Dame in 2002, played the final three years of his seven-year pro career in Houston. After two years as a college assistant in 2010 and 2011, Weaver made the jump to the pros as an assistant D-line coach with the New York Jets in 2012.
In 2013, Weaver dropped the assistant tag as he jumped to Buffalo Bills, where he spent one season before manning the Cleveland Browns' D-line from 2014-2015. Weaver has been the Texans defensive line coach since 2016.
Weaver will command a full defense for the first time in his career in 2020. The Texans defensive front keyed the unit this year despite the trade of Jadeveon Clowney and an injury to J.J Watt that wiped out most of the campaign.
We'll see if Weaver's skill for milking the most out of his D-line talent can extend to the rest of the group. The Texans sorely need to upgrade the defense this offseason if they are to become more than playoff fodder for more complete teams.
