The Los Angeles Rams saw their 2020 season come to an end this past weekend, falling to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC divisional round.
While the season didn’t end how they had hoped, there is no doubt that the season was a successful one for the Rams after finishing 10-6 and getting back to the postseason a year after missing it.
A big reason for the Rams’ success was the play of their defense, who statistically was the best in the league under first-year defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.
Unfortunately, considering how much success Staley had, it came as no surprise that he received head coaching interest this offseason and ultimately took the job with the Los Angeles Chargers.
That leaves the Rams in search of a new defensive coordinator for the second straight offseason and it appears that Sean McVay did not take long to find his new man. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the Rams are expected to hire Raheem Morris as Staley’s replacement:
The #Rams are focusing on former #Falcons DC/interim HC Raheem Morris as their new defensive coordinator, sources tell me and @RapSheet. Not done yet but it's looking like he will be the one to replace new #Chargers HC Brandon Staley.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 19, 2021
NFL reporter Josina Anderson then confirmed that the hiring is indeed happening:
I'm told Raheem Morris will be the next defensive coordinator for the #Rams, per source. (NFLN 1st linked Morris as a target).
— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) January 19, 2021
Morris was one of the hottest names on the market this offseason after doing a quality job taking over as the interim head coach of the Atlanta Falcons in 2020 after Dan Quinn was fired.
Morris has a ton of NFL experience, notably serving as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009-11, defensive backs coach of the Washington Redskins from 2012-14 and then defensive coordinator of the Falcons in 2020 before taking over as interim head coach.
He and McVay were on the same coaching staff in both Tampa Bay and Washington, so there already is a familiarity between the two.
Staley will be a tough act to follow, but Morris will be inheriting one of the most talented defenses in the league that includes stars like Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey.
Morris traditionally runs a 4-3 defense, which is similar to what the Rams have run so it will be interesting to see what, if any, scheme changes are coming in 2021 if he does end up being hired.
