Texans move on from OL coach George Warhop, Colts’ Chris Strausser leading candidate to replace him, strong mutual interest in Browns’ Chris Kiffin, other staff updates

HOUSTON – The Texans aren’t retaining offensive line coach George Warhop, shifting on from the veteran assistant coach Saturday, in response to league sources.

The Texans, beneath new head coach DeMeco Ryans, are additionally not retaining offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, tight ends coach Tim Berbenich, assistant defensive position coach Kenyon Jackson, offensive assistant-quarterbacks Ted White, linebackers coach Miles Smith, defensive assistant-nickels coach Ilir Emini and several other different assistants from former coach Lovie Smith’s employees, per sources.

The Texans are retaining particular groups coordinator Frank Ross and head power and conditioning coach Mike Eubanks and hiring former Arizona Cardinals defensive position coach and Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Matt Burke as defensive coordinator, former San Francisco 49ers chief of employees Nick Kray for a similar job in Houston and 49ers defensive high quality management coach Stephen Adegoke as safeties coach, in response to sources

Warhop, 61, coached the Texans’ offensive line this previous season as they allowed 38 sacks, left deal with Laremy Tunsil was a first-team Professional Bowl choice and rookie working again Dameon Pierce was a Professional Bowl alternate.

A number one candidate to switch Warhop, who was beforehand the offensive line coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals and Rams is Indianapolis Colts offensive line coach Chris Strausser with a number of league sources predicting he’ll finally be employed.

Strausser, 59, was promoted from assistant offensive line coach in 2020 and was beforehand an offensive line coach for the Denver Broncos and coached collegiately at Boise State, Colorado and Washington.

The Colts offensive line, regardless of the presence of All-Professional guard Quenton Nelson, regressed final season as they allowed 60 sacks, third-most within the NFL and tied a league-high with 14 sacks allowed within the fourth quarter. Instability throughout the offensive line hampered them as they didn’t decide on a constant beginning 5 till November. There was a major enchancment towards the ultimate stretch of the season, particularly in move blocking, after a particularly tough begin to the season.

In the course of the first three seasons beneath Strausser, the Colts allowed the fourth-fewest sacks within the NFL. In 2021 when star working again Jonathan Taylor was wholesome, he rushed for 1,811 yards and Nelson and middle Ryan Kelly had been each named to the Professional Bowl.

One other main candidate to hitch the Texans employees is veteran defensive position coach Chris Kiffin with robust mutual curiosity between him and the AFC South franchise, in response to sources. Kiffin, a former 49ers move rush specialist who overlapped with Ryans in San Francisco on coach Kyle Shanahan’s employees, is the defensive position coach for the Cleveland Browns.

The youthful brother of Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin and the son of legendary former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, Chris Kiffin, 41, has coached at Florida Atlantic, Mississippi, Arkansas State, USC, Nebraska and Idaho. He performed defensive position at Colorado State.

Aaron Wilson is a contributor to KPRC 2 and click2houston.com