The Los Angeles Rams coaching staff under Sean McVay will feature some changes for the 2025 season, specifically on the defensive side of the ball.
The team saw assistant defensive line coach AC Carter depart to become the new outside linebackers coach for the Carolina Panthers.
Carter spent the last two years in that role, overseeing a defensive line that was one of the best in the NFL. While his loss is notable, the team appears to be close to bringing in a new defensive assistant.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, the Rams are hiring Drew Wilkins as their defensive pass rush coordinator:
Source: The #Rams are hiring Drew Wilkins as their new defensive pass rush coordinator. Originally from the #Ravens coaching tree and most recently with the #Patriots, Wilkins has had a key role in blitz packages and pressures.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 5, 2025
Wilkins served as the New England Patriots’ outside linebackers coach under former head coach Jerod Mayo last season. Prior to that, he was the New York Giants’ outside linebackers for two years.
Wilkins also spent 12 years with the Baltimore Ravens, where he coached their outside linebackers from 2018-2021.
The Rams did not have a pass game coordinator during the 2024 season. Chris Shula filled the role from 2022-2023 before he was promoted to defensive coordinator last year.
Wilkins will now get to work with a talented pass rush group that includes Braden Fiske, Kobie Turner, Jared Verse and Byron Young. The unit seemingly got better as the year went on, which was evident when they racked up 16 sacks in two playoff games.
Texans hire former Rams assistant Nick Caley
The Houston Texans announced that they have hired former Rams assistant Nick Caley as their new offensive coordinator. He is replacing Bobby Slowik, who was let go by the team last month.
Caley was the Rams’ tight ends coach over the last two seasons and had the additional responsibility of being the pass game coordinator in 2024.
He began his coaching career as an offensive assistant with the Patriots in 2015 and later served as the team’s tight ends coach from 2017-2022. He has coached the likes of Rob Gronkowski, Tyler Higbee, Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith over the last decade.
Caley will now get to call offensive plays for the first time in his career. He is the third assistant to leave the Rams this offseason, joining John Streicher (Patriots) and Carter (Panthers).
