The Rams have a new defensive coordinator. After electing not to retain the legendary Wade Phillips, Los Angeles is hiring Broncos outside linebackers coach Brandon Staley to be their new DC, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Rapoport notes that a deal still needs to be worked out, but that it’s going to happen. Albert Breer of SI.com was the first to tweet that a deal was close. In a follow-up tweet, Rapoport notes that Staley flew out to Los Angeles yesterday and spent the day with head coach Sean McVay. Staley had been with Vic Fangio for a while, as he served as his outside linebackers coach for two years with the Bears before following Fangio to Denver.
It’s a bit of an outside the box hire, as Staley hadn’t been batted around as a hot name previously. There were reports that McVay wanted more innovation and scheme-emphasis from his defensive staff, so that’s what Staley will be expected to provide. Prior to joining Chicago, Staley had served as the defensive coordinator at John Carroll University, a D3 school.
He also briefly served as DC at James Madison, and got his start as a graduate assistant at Northern Illinois back in 2006. The Rams also saw special teams coordinator John Fassel leave for Dallas, and there will be a fair amount of turnover on McVay’s staff when all the dust settles.
Whoa