Key defensive coach Dino Vasso inks extension, securing continuity for the Texans' rising secondary and bolstering their playoff aspirations.
The Houston Texans have been one of the most successful and consistent teams in the NFL over the last several seasons. Only the Texans and the Buffalo Bills have won a playoff game in each of the last three seasons, which is a pretty good mark for the franchise. A big reason for the success in Houston has been the defense, and it is a defense that is mostly full of younger players who continue to develop.
Whenever a team stays good for a while, it becomes harder and harder to keep everything together. Players want to get paid, and the coaching staff starts to get poached by other franchises around the league. That has been the case for Houston as several assistants have been getting looks for promotions from other organizations around the league. The most recent case of this was with Defensive Backs Coach Dino Vasso, who was getting defensive coordinator looks for several franchises.
Ian Rapoport reported that Vasso will not be taking any job elsewhere and will be staying in Houston after agreeing to a new contract extension with the franchise. He likely received a significant raise due to the amount of interest he was getting elsewhere.
Vasso has played an important role with Houston's young defensive backs. He has helped turn Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter into one of the best cornerback duos in the entire NFL, while Jalen Pitre and others have also taken significant steps forward as players.
Vasso is clearly very good at what he does, and the players in Houston probably love him, which definitely went into the decision to offer him a new extension. The defensive front for Houston gets a ton of credit whenever various personalities are praising that defense, but it is important to note that the secondary gives its pass rush plenty of time to make noise in the backfield. Both parts are equally as important, which is why the Texans could not lose Vasso.
The Cleveland Browns and Las Vegas Raiders have open defensive coordinator positions, and Vasso was being eyed for both. The Browns' job is likely very attractive to a defensive coach, but he ultimately decided to keep his role with the Texans and accept whatever new deal was offered. It was a smart move by the organization to keep him put, as he has been with the franchise since the 2021 season and was retained when DeMeco Ryans was hired as the head coach back during the 2023 offseason.