Dino Vasso might not have landed the Tennessee Titans’ defensive coordinator opening, but that doesn’t mean he’s out of the running for a chance to call plays elsewhere next season.
According to KPRC 2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson, the Houston Texans’ defensive backs coach is expected to interview for the Arizona Cardinals’ defensive coordinator position. Should first-year coach Mike LaFluer hire the Texans’ longtime assistant, it would mark Vasso’s first chance to serve as a defensive coordinator in his career.
Vasso, 38, has spent the last five seasons on Houston’s staff. When the Texans elected to hire DeMeco Ryans from San Francisco, Vasso was retained from Lovie Smith’s former staff.
Ryan, who enters his fourth season as the Texans’ head coach, previously spent several seasons working under now Titans head coach Robert Saleh as the Niners’ linebackers coach. According to reports, both Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke and former Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz pushed for the rising star to be considered a candidate for the opening in Tennessee when Saleh was hired last month.
Since his promotion to defensive backs coach, Vasso has produced one of the league’s best secondaries. Working alongside All-Pro corner Derek Stingley Jr., nickel defender Jalen Pitre, rising star safety Calen Bullock and potential Pro Bowl corner Kamari Lassiter, the Texans bolstered the league’s top-ranked defense this past fall.
Amid a 12-win campaign, the Texans’ defense ranked second in points allowed and first in fewest yards, allowing just 277.2 yards per game. They also ranked second in takeaways, with four different defenders totaling at least four interceptions.
The Texans will pick 28th in the NFL draft this April.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans DB coach Dino Vasso to interview for Cardinals DC opening
Reporting by Cole Thompson, Texans Wire / Texans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
