Cleveland Browns hiring Houston Texans assistant Jacques Cesaire as defensive line coach
BEREA — The Browns are adding another new coach to their staff, but this one is on the defensive side of the ball.
Jacques Cesaire is being hired as the Browns' new defensive line coach, a source confirmed for the Beacon Journal. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero was first to report.
Cesaire had spent the last two seasons as the defensive line coach for the Houston Texans, who eliminated the Browns in the AFC wild card round of the playoffs. Prior to that, he held the same position with the then-San Diego Chargers from 2015-19, and then served as the Buffalo Bills' assistant defensive line coach in 2020-21.
The status of Ben Bloom, who spent last season as the Browns' defensive line coach, has not be finalized, a source said. Bloom could remain with the organization, including a potential return to his former title as run game coordinator on defense.
The change at the head of the defensive line group remains the only defensive staff move the Browns have made this offseason. However, the offensive staff is in the midst of a major shakeup.
Days after the loss to Houston, the Browns parted ways with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, running back Stump Mitchell and tight ends coach T.C. McCartney. Former Carolina Panthers assistant head coach/running backs coach Duce Staley will replace Mitchell, and the Browns are working toward a deal with former University of Alabama offensive coordinator Tommy Rees for him to be the next tight ends coach, with additional responsibilities in the development of the pass game.
Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Kellen Moore interviewed for the offensive coordinator job on Friday. His was the fifth interview the Browns conducted for the job, along with former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson, Houston Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, ex-Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and Seattle Seahawks offensive line coach Andy Dickerson.
The 43-year-old Cesaire was in charge of a defensive line group in Houston this season that was a big part of the Texans' defensive success. That included the defensive end duo of Jonathan Greenard and Will Anderson Jr., as well as Sheldon Rankins and Maliek Collins at defensive tackle.
Those four players alone accounted for 30.5 of the Texans' 46 sacks this season. Greenard had 12.5 of those sacks.
Cesaire comes into a defensive line room that boasts All-Pro — and potential Defensive Player of the Year — Myles Garrett, as well as Dalvin Tomlinson at defensive tackle and Ogbo Okoronkwo and Alex Wright at end. However, it's also a group that could have a significantly different look by the start of next season.
Defensive tackles Jordan Elliott, Shelby Harris and Maurice Hurst II are all free agents, as is defensive end Za'Darius Smith. The Browns did invest a third-round pick last April in tackle Siaki Ika, along with a fifth-round pick on end Isaiah McGuire.
The defense the Browns run under coordinator Jim Schwartz makes a strong defensive line group critical. While Garrett had 14 sacks this season, the other defensive linemen did have a combined 24.5 sacks, including 5.5 by Smith and another five by Wright.
Cesaire spent nine seasons (2003-11) playing for the Chargers. He played in 125 regular-season games, including 66 starts, along with another seven playoff games, with two starts.
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns hiring Texans assistant Jacques Cesaire as defensive line coach
