Los Angeles Rams 2023 coaching staff: Who’s here, who’s gone, what’s open?

Jan 31, 2023 - 1:27 AM

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The Los Angeles Rams are once again undergoing a makeover with their coaching staff. We know that Sean McVay is back, we know that he’s hired a new offensive coordinator to replace Liam Coen, we know that he’s parted ways with at least a half-dozen other assistants. There’s so much we don’t know, so let’s review who is here and what jobs are needed, as well as who could still leave.

Head Coach - Sean McVay, 7th season

After much speculation that McVay would step down after six seasons, the head coach took a few days after the season to think it over and ultimately decided to come back for year seven. This shows confidence by McVay that the Rams are not finished with their championship window and that implies that the team will be active as buyers, not sellers. Unless McVay is interested in being part of a longer plan, which we should find out soon based on how L.A. plays the trade market, then expect the Rams to move forward like Super Bowl contenders again.

Offensive Coordinator - Mike LaFleur, 1st season

LaFleur spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons as the New York Jets offensive coordinator following a long career working as an assistant for Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco and Washington. LaFleur’s Jets were among the worst offenses in the NFL, but Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp are far more established than Zach Wilson and most of what New York had at wide receiver.

Assistant Head Coach - Thomas Brown, 4th season

Brown is officially listed as the tight ends coach as well, but he took over for Ra’Shaad Samples as running backs coach in the middle of the 2022 season. Whether Brown will hold that title again in 2023 remains to be seen and he’s interviewed for both head coaching and offensive coordinator roles with other teams in the last two years. Expect Brown to stay on as assistant head coach unless he leaves, whereas his position group is yet to be established. Brown played running back with the Falcons and Browns from 2008-2010 and worked with some high-profile backs at Georgia.

Quarterbacks/Pass Coordinator - Zac Robinson, 5th season

Robinson got a major promotion in 2022, going from assistant QBs coach to the main QBs coach and the pass game coordinator. He has interviewed as the offensive coordinator for the Chargers, a job he did not get, and it remains to be seen if he will retain these titles in L.A. after the Rams finished 27th in passing yards, 29th in net yards per attempt, and 28th in passing touchdowns. Even when Matthew Stafford was healthy, the passing offense was among the worst in the NFL. Robinson is a former college quarterback who was on the rosters of the Patriots, Seahawks, Lions, and Bengals from 2010-2013.

Wide Receivers - Eric Yarber, 7th season

Yarber is one of the few to survive/not be promoted during McVay’s entire tenure with the Rams. The 59-year-old who played for Washington from 1986-1987 has been a coach at the college or NFL level since 1996. He met Sean McVay during their time on the Buccaneers, then spent five seasons as receivers coach at UCLA prior to coming to the Rams. He’s been the wide receivers coach the entire time.

Senior Offensive Assistant - Greg Olson, 2nd season

A veteran offensive coordinator, he also met McVay on the Bucs. Olson has been the OC for the Lions, Rams (2006-2007), Bucs, Raiders, Jaguars, and Raiders (again) prior to joining the Rams after Jon Gruden was fired from Las Vegas in 2021. Olson interviewed for the Chargers job and whether he returns to McVay’s staff or not is uncertain.

Offensive Assistant - Jay Gruden, 2nd season

A former quarterback and the brother of Jon Gruden, Jay was Washington’s head coach from 2014 to 2019, then he spent 2020 as the Jags offensive coordinator. He joined the Rams as a consultant last year and what impact he had is unclear, as is his future in the NFL.

Offensive Assistant - Jake Peetz, 2nd season

Peetz held various assistant roles in college and the NFL, at times working for Nick Saban at Alabama, and also for Jay Gruden in 2014 with Washington. He was the offensive coordinator at LSU in 2021, prior to joining McVay’s staff last year.

Offensive Assistant - Nick Jones, 3rd season

If he is retained, this will be Jones’ third season with McVay. He spent six years as tight ends coach at Coastal Carolina, one year at Air Force, one at Colorado State, and one as a coaching fellow with the Falcons before joining McVay.

Offensive Assistant, Zak Kromer, 7th season

Father Aaron Kromer was once McVay’s offensive line coach. Zak Kromer has worked with McVay for his entire Rams career.

Coaching Fellow - K.J. Black, 2nd season

Hired in 2022, Black assistant Liam Coen throughout the season. He played quarterback at two HBCU programs and then was was co-offensive coordinator at Florida A&M prior to joining the Rams as part of their coaching fellowship.

Running Backs - OPEN

It is not clear if Thomas Brown will retain this job or if McVay will hire someone else. If Brown goes back to RBs, will that mean that the TEs job is open?

Offensive Line - OPEN

The Rams parted with Kevin Carberry after two seasons. They will need a new offensive line coach.

Position Assistant Coaches - ???

Whether the Rams will have an assistant QBs coach, assistant OL coach, and so forth, remains unclear.

Defensive Coordinator - Raheem Morris, 3rd season

Morris has interviewed twice for the Indianapolis Colts and their open head coaching job. If Morris doesn’t get that, it seems as though he will be back with McVay in 2023. This is not, however, guaranteed. Morris also worked for Jon Gruden in Tampa, then became Bucs head coach from 2009-2011, before going over to Washington when he was fired. He spent 2015-2020 with the Falcons. Prior to being the Rams defensive coordinator, Morris had only spent part of one season as an NFL defensive coordinator in his entire career. The Rams defense has not been as stout recently, but is that a talent issue or a coaching issue?

Defensive Line/Run Game Coordinator - Eric Henderson, 5th season

Henderson went undrafted in 2006, then spent three seasons with the Bengals. McVay hired him as the defensive line coach in 2019 and he was given the run game coordinator title in 2021. He has yet to get recognition for an defensive coordinator roles.

Defensive Backs/Pass Game Coordinator - Chris Shula, 7th season

Don’t worry, Shula wasn’t hired because of connections to Jon Gruden. Nothing like that. No, he is only the grandson of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula. Shula was hired on McVay’s first staff as assistant linebackers coach and he was moved to defensive backs/pass game coordinator in 2022.

Inside Linebackers - Chris Beake, 2nd season

Beake was hired by McVay in 2022, but he is in his 25th season as an NFL coach. He got his start with the 49ers in 1998, then coached with the Falcons, Seahawks, Browns, and Broncos before he was let go with Vic Fangio’s staff. He got to work with Bobby Wagner in his first season in L.A.. That worked out for both.

Outside Linebackers - Thad Bogardus, 7th season

Outside Linebackers - OPEN

Thad Bogardus also came with Wade Phillips’ staff in 2017, working with defensive tackles in his first few years. He was then moved to assistant outside linebackers coach in 2021, but the team did not renew his contract in 2023.

Assistant Defensive Line - OPEN

McVay fired Skyler Jones from this role, so there could be an opening there.

Defensive Backs - OPEN

Shula is listed as defensive backs on the team website, but McVay also fired Jonathan Cooley this year, who had that role. Will another defensive backs coach be hired?

Defensive Assistant - ???

Lance Schulters was also let go out of a role here. Will the Rams be looking for more assistants to fill out the staff?

Special Teams Coordinator - OPEN

McVay fired Joe DeCamillis too and will need a new special teams coordinator. McVay fired John Fassel in 2020, then fired replacement John Bonamego in 2021, so he will have his third special teams coordinator in four years.

Special Teams Assistant - Jeremy Springer, 2nd year

Springer was a college special teams coordinator prior to joining the Rams in 2022. Will McVay feel he’s ready for a promotion?

I’ll keep this updated as more news rolls in.