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The Tennessee Titans' hiring of Houston Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel has left a vacancy with his former team. According to Ian Rapoport of The NFL Network, the team has decided to keep assistant head coach Romeo Crennel as their next defensive coordinator for the 2018 season.
After losing Mike Vrabel as defensive coordinator, #Texans will just move assistant head coach Romeo Crennel to DC, source said. Easy move.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 20, 2018
Crennel previously held the position from 2014 to 2016 with the Texans. He was promoted last year to associate head coach under Bill O'Brien, while Vrabel was moved to defensive coordinator for the 2017 campaign.
The Texans finished this past season ranked 20th overall defensively while finishing 24th against the pass, 13th against the run, and ranked last with 27.3 points per game allowed. Granted, they lacked the services of some of their key players on that side of the ball, including three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year defensive end J.J. Watt.
This should be a smooth transition for Crennel and the Texans given he had held the position for a few years before 2017. The decision provides Houston's defensive players with stability and familiarity under the 70-year-old. On top of that, Watt is expected to be ready in time for training camp for the 2018 campaign.
Houston could have a chance to break through this upcoming season if quarterback Deshaun Watson can pick up where left off in his rookie campaign before tearing his ACL. He was the clear frontrunner for the Offensive Rookie of the Year and had the Texans in position to make a serious playoff push if he remained healthy.
The Texans have the pieces in place to put together a competitive team that could make plenty of noise in the 2018 season. The front office will likely use the draft and free agency to add pieces to both sides of the ball to construct a team that could possibly contend for more than just a playoff spot in the AFC.
