The Rams have spoken with longtime head coach Ron Rivera regarding their DC post.
According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, L.A. Rams head coach Sean McVay has thrown a broad net in his hunt for Raheem Morris’ replacement as defensive coordinator, which now includes Ron Rivera.
Over the weekend, the Rams interviewed Rivera, the long-time head coach of the Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers, for the available defensive coordinator post.
Rivera has not been a defensive coordinator since 2010 with the San Diego Chargers.
Rivera’s first defensive coordinator post came with the Chicago Bears in 2004, which led to a Super Bowl berth in 2006.
He subsequently joined the Chargers as a linebackers coach in 2007, before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2008 and serving for three years. In 2010, San Diego allowed the fewest yards in the NFL, and the following year, he was hired by the Panthers’ head coach.
Rivera spent 13 years as a head coach before being fired by the Commanders at the end of the season with a 4-13 record.
He did take over play calling duties on defense last season, but Washington finished dead last in points and yards allowed.
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Could the Rams Find Their Next Quarterback at the Senior Bowl?
Whether you like it or not, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford will not be in the starting lineup indefinitely. Stafford re-emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in football during the 2023 season, after dipping into the fountain of youth. He is the most essential player in the Rams’ Super Bowl window, although he will turn 36 in 2024. Someone will eventually have to fill his shoes. General manager Les Snead may look to the 2024 NFL Draft for Stafford’s successor – and a solid backup in the meantime.
This week provides front offices with a one-of-a-kind opportunity to observe some of the class’ most divisive performers. The Reese’s Senior Bowl will feature seven quarterbacks looking to establish themselves as NFL possibilities. Is Mobile where Los Angeles’ next quarterback will play?
The main candidates for the Senior Bowl are Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. While Nix gets my vote for the top passer at the all-star game, both are projected to be eliminated early.
Los Angeles has the nineteenth pick in April’s draft. Frankly, neither should be the Rams’ first-round selection since Jared Goff. In a win-now situation, Snead can use a premium choice to discover an impact player. That’s an uncommon situation for Los Angeles, and a quarterback isn’t helping Stafford return to the Super Bowl.
However, if one slips to Day 2, when the Rams have two picks, they would be reasonable choices. Both have flaws; Nix is an older potential with uncertain decision-making abilities, while Penix has a concerning medical history and lacks elite tools to compensate. But, as prospective starters, they each have their supporters. Penix’s deep shot could be the best in the class, while Nix’s playmaking ability surpasses the conservative approach he played in. Later in the draft, Los Angeles may like the worth of Tulane’s Michael Pratt or South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler.
Pratt is an accurate passer who performs well outside of structure. Rattler was once a great recruit, but he is now a big-armed quarterback who is both toolsy and inconsistent. Whether picked late in Day 2 or early in Day 3, both candidates should urge the Rams to spend less draft capital than the Heisman contenders who came before them. They have the ability to become starters (or at least outperform the existing choices behind Stafford).
The remaining passers at the event, Notre Dame’s Sam Hartman, Tennessee’s Joe Milton III, and South Alabama’s Carter Bradley, aren’t ideal matches for Los Angeles’ timeline. None of them are locks for the draft.
Hartman’s tools predestine him for a backup role, but that’s a more difficult task than most people realize. Milton is the most gifted of the three, with an exceptional arm but a difficult transition to the league. He’s essentially a lottery ticket, and he’s unlikely to be the Rams’ second-best thrower. Bradley is a small-school passer who lacks the production to attract much attention.
