Texans DL coach Jacques Cesaire says DE Jonathan Greenard has ‘incredible motor’

The Houston Texans needed a new defensive line coach as Bobby King left to take the inside linebackers coach job with the Tennessee Titans.

As Mike Vrabel was going with a familiar name he had coached with when he was defensive coordinator with the Texans in 2017, Jacques Cesaire was going with a familiar scheme when he took the job as the Texans’ defensive line coach following the promotion of defensive coordinator Lovie Smith to coach.

Cesaire had spent the last two seasons as the Buffalo Bills assistant defensive line coach, working with Eric Washington, who was on Smith’s staff with the Chicago Bears from 2008-10.

The former San Diego Charger defensive lineman has been with the Texans for almost two weeks and has had a chance to visit with some of the defensive linemen under contract. One player that has stood out to him is defensive end Jonathan Greenard.

“Just strength, length, speed, passion; he doesn’t stop,” said Cesaire. “He has an incredible motor, great, great rush hands. I just love the way he plays each and every snap. I can’t wait to get my hands on him.”

Greenard generated 8.0 sacks in 2021, the most by a Texans defender since 2019 when outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus had 7.5.

According to defensive tackle Roy Lopez, he, Greenard, and defensive tackle Ross Blacklock have all had a chance to meet with Cesaire, who was able to show tape of what he had accomplished with the Bills defensive line.

“I’ve already [Greenard] in my office and we got to talk a little ball,” said Cesaire. “I got to show him some things that I did with the defensive line in Buffalo, and he’s excited and I’m excited to work with him.”

The Texans selected Greenard in Round 3 of the 2020 NFL draft from Florida. The 6-3, 263-pound edge defender also added 33 combined tackles, nine tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits, four pass breakups, and two forced fumbles through 12 games, all of which he started.