The Los Angeles Rams did not look like a normal Sean McVay team during the 2022 season as the offense largely struggled for most of the year.
The Rams finished last in yards per game for the first time under McVay as well as 27th overall in points per game. A lot has been said about the offensive line injuries as Los Angeles started 12 different combinations through the first 12 weeks of the year, but they still shouldn’t have found it so difficult to score on a weekly basis.
With such a dismal showing, changes on the coaching staff had to be made, though the first move came out of the Rams’ hands as previous offensive coordinator Liam Coen opted to return to the University of Kentucky to resume the same role. With Coen out, McVay needed to find a new partner in crime on the offensive side of the field and it appears he’s already found a replacement. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the team is in the process of hiring Mike LaFleur as their new offensive coordinator:
The #Rams are hiring former #Jets OC Mike LaFleur as their new coordinator, sources say. The favorite all along, another LaFleur joins coach Sean McVay. pic.twitter.com/yXgmOVkC8U
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 27, 2023
LaFleur spent the past two seasons with the New York Jets as their offensive coordinator, but the two sides decided to part ways after another season of struggling to score the football. However, prior to his time with the Jets, LaFleur was the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach for the San Francisco 49ers between 2017-2020 so he has plenty of experience game planning and working with offensive skill players.
McVay is no stranger to the LaFleur family as he employed current Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur as his offensive coordinator in 2017, so the ties and relationships are there. As has been the case since McVay arrived in Los Angeles, he will in all likelihood retain play-calling duties though LaFleur will have a hand in devising and revamping the offensive scheme and weekly game plans.
Although LaFleur may not have gotten the Jets offense to where they wanted to go, he should still serve as a valuable asset to McVay and the rest of the coaching staff due to his previous experiences. With the important pieces in Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp around for 2023, McVay and LaFleur should see more success moving and scoring next season.
