NFL Rumors: Browns, Saints Eye C.J. Stroud's Texans QB Coach Jerrod Johnson for OC

C.J. Stroud's excellent rookie season may help get some of his offensive coaches big promotions this offseason.

Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is a candidate for several head-coaching gigs, while ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday that Houston Texans quarterback coach Jerrod Johnson is "expected to interview" for the offensive coordinator position with the Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints this week.

Johnson had a cup of coffee in the NFL as a quarterback after going undrafted out of Texas A&M. He never played a snap in the regular season, however, only appearing in training camps or on practice squads.

He then transitioned into coaching, serving as the offensive quality control coach for the Indianapolis Colts in the 2020-21 seasons, the assistant quarterbacks coach for the Minnesota Vikings in 2022 and Stroud's quarterback coach this past season.

Under Slowik and Johnson, Stroud had a fantastic rookie season, throwing for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 63.9 percent of his passes. The Texans went 9-6 in his starts and reached the playoffs, ending a three-year postseason drought.

The season ended with a 34-10 loss against the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. But Houston is ahead of schedule.

"This wasn't our time right now," head coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters. "We didn't get it done. I'm proud of each and every coach and player in the locker room for what we accomplished throughout the entire year here and for how we grew through the entire year."

"We accomplished a lot this year," he added. "We're looking to the future."

That future is bright with Stroud under center, but Houston's immediate and surprising success during his rookie season might mean a lot of departures in Ryans' coaching staff. Such is the reality for successful football teams.

The order in which Slowkik and Johnson are potentially offered promotions around the league will matter. If Slowik takes a head-coaching position, Johnson will be the obvious choice to replace him at offensive coordinator. It's possible the team could lose both this offseason, however, if Johnson finds an offer he likes before Slowik potentially moves on.