The Los Angeles Rams have been busy filling key roles on Sean McVay’s coaching staff as they recently hired former University of Tennessee defensive backs coach Michael Hunter Jr. to the same role.
The Rams didn’t have an official defensive backs coach last season, but Aubrey Pleasant held the role as recently as 2024 before taking on assistant head coach and passing game coordinator duties.
Pleasant has interviewed for multiple defensive coordinator jobs this offseason, so it makes sense why the Rams would want to bring in a defensive backs coach.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Rams have also hired former Syracuse defensive coordinator Robert Wright as a defensive assistant:
Sources: The LA Rams are set to hire Robert Wright as a defensive assistant. Wright is the former DC at Syracuse and Buffalo. In his first year at Syracuse, the Orange went 10-3 and defeated No. 6 Miami. Wright is a Mike Elko disciple with stops at Duke and Texas AM. pic.twitter.com/SMpuyouNeg
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 15, 2026
Wright spent the last two seasons as Syracuse’s co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, and in 2023, was Buffalo’s defensive coordinator.
Wright’s previous coaching experience includes stints as a senior defensive analyst at Duke (2022), special teams quality control coach at Iowa State (2021), graduate assistant at Texas A&M (2019-2020), defensive graduate assistant and defensive quality coach in Illinois (2016-2018) and special teams quality control coach at Miami (2015).
Prior to becoming a coach for the Hurricanes, Wright was a member of the football program at Miami in 2011.
Wright now joins Jimmy Lake as defensive assistants for the Rams in 2026, and it wouldn’t be surprising if more names enter the mix in the coming weeks.
Rams coaching staff moves
The Rams so far have lost only one key member of McVay’s coaching staff this offseason in former offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who left to become the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
In terms of additions, the Rams hired Bubba Ventrone to be their new special teams coordinator while also bringing in Kyle Hoke as an assistant special teams coach.
The Rams also added one of the best offensive minds in Kliff Kingsbury, whose official role is unknown at this time.
