NFL Coaching Notes: Rams Complete Staff, Colts Hire QC
The Rams put the finishing touches on their 2022 coaching staff, announcing the completion earlier this month. Along with many other promotions and hires that we’ve already reported on this site, the following staff changes were unveiled:
- Thad Bogardus, who served last season as the assistant linebackers coach, was promoted to outside linebackers coach. He previously spent the 2020 season as assistant defensive line coach, a promotion after serving previously as assistant defensive line/defensive quality control coach.
- Lance Schulters, who spent last season as a coaching fellow, earned a promotion to defensive assistant for the upcoming season. Schulters is a former NFL safety with 19 career interceptions to his name. He started his coaching career as a defensive assistant for the Falcons in 2020.
- Chris Shula, who oversaw linebackers last year, will now serve as pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach for Los Angeles. Shula has worked with the Rams’ linebackers in some capacity since 2017, debuting in the NFL as a defensive quality control coach in San Diego after bouncing around a few college jobs.
- Chris Beake was hired as the Rams’ new inside linebackers coach after nine seasons in Denver. After holding a variety of roles on the Broncos staff, he spent his final season there as the defensive pass game specialist.
- Kenneth Black was brought on as a coaching fellow for the Rams this season. Black spent the last two years as co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach for Florida A&M.
- Skyler Jones was hired as assistant defensive line coach. Jones spent seven seasons coaching at the college level, most recently in the role of defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Norfolk State.
- Jeremy Springer was brought on in the role of special teams assistant. Springer has been a special teams coordinator at the college football level for the last four years, spending last year at Marshall and the previous three seasons with Arizona.
The Colts also announced a hire at the end of the month from the college level:
- Brent Jackson will join the Indianapolis staff as a defensive quality control coach, according to Matt Zenitz of On3 Sports, after spending last season as Oregon’s defensive backs graduate assistant. Jackson has spent time on the staffs at Auburn, Illinois, and Louisiana, as well.
Rams Waive Kareem Orr
The Rams have waived cornerback Kareem Orr, per a club announcement. The move will free up an extra spot on their 90-man roster and give them extra flexibility heading into the draft and the subsequent undrafted free agent period. 
[RELATED: Rams’ Matt Gay Signs RFA Tender]
Orr, 25, split his college career between Arizona and Chattanooga. He broke into the league as a UDFA and spent time with the Titans in 2019 and 2020 before hooking on with the Rams last year. Orr wound up playing in two games last year and registered four tackles but didn’t impress in his Week 14 showing against the rival Cardinals.
With Orr gone, the Rams’ cornerback group consists of Jalen Ramsey, Robert Rochell, David Long, Grant Haley, and Tyler Hall. Long and Rochell are projected to start on the outside and in the slot, respectively, though this group could use some additional depth in the draft.
In other Rams news, linebacker Travin Howard has inked his $2.54MM restricted free agent tender, officially keeping him in the fold for the 2022 season. Howard, 26 in May, finished 2021 with 21 stops and one interception across 12 regular season appearances.
Eagles, 3 Other Playoff Teams Made Run At Gilmore
After discussing deals and meeting with several teams that made the playoffs in the 2021 NFL season, cornerback Stephon Gilmore ended up signing with a team that just missed the playoffs in Week 18 last season joining the Colts. Well, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, the teams that pushed the hardest for the two-time All-Pro were playoff teams from last season: the Eagles, Raiders, Rams, and Bills. 
Philadelphia “made a hard play” for the ten-year veteran in their efforts to replace departing starter Steven Nelson. Nelson started alongside Darius Slay in the Eagles’ secondary last season before signing with Houston this offseason. Without Nelson, the Eagles will likely count on Avonte Maddox to take another step in his development after being a strong rotational player for the past four seasons. They may turn to the 2022 NFL Draft to address the position, but, currently sitting at 15th, they would likely miss out on the Draft’s two most exciting cornerback prospects: Cincinnati’s Ahmad Gardner and LSU’s Derek Stingley. Those two are even less likely to fall to Philadelphia with Baltimore sitting one spot in front of them wanting to add some depth to the position after spending most of last year without starters Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey.
Las Vegas had an impressive showing from their cornerback group last year despite losing Damon Arnette due to multiple lawsuits and behavioral issues and only seeing Trayvon Mullen play five games. The Raiders saw Casey Hayward, Nate Hobbs, and Brandon Facyson step up and contribute to a strong defense. With Hayward going to Atlanta and Facyson joining Gilmore in Indianapolis, the Raiders made addressing the cornerback position a priority. Luckily, despite missing out on Gilmore, the Raiders made strong additions acquiring Rock Ya-Sin from the Colts in exchange for Yannick Ngakoue and signing Anthony Averett, who started much of last year for the Ravens with Peters and Humphrey injured. Ya-Sin and Averett will join a hopefully full-health Mullen and Hobbs to round out a solid cornerback room.
The Rams pursued Gilmore in an attempt to replace departing starter Darious Williams after he signed with the Jaguars this offseason. Los Angeles returns star Jalen Ramsey and role players David Long and Dont’e Deayon, but they likely would’ve preferred to add another bona fide starter opposite Gilmore. Unlike the Eagles, the Rams probably won’t turn to the Draft to fill this role. They’ve made an example in the league trading draft capital for experienced veterans and won a Super Bowl doing so. Not only is it more on brand for them to seek a replacement through the trade and free agent markets, but, even if they wanted to use the Draft, they don’t have a selection in the Draft until the 104th pick.
The Bills would’ve liked to bring Gilmore back home to Buffalo after losing starter Levi Wallace to free agency. Buffalo brings back plenty of contributors from last year in Tre’Davious White, Taron Johnson, Dane Jackson, and Siran Neal, but bringing back Gilmore would’ve allowed them to slip him into the void left by Wallace without asking too much of Jackson or Neal to step up. The Bills could try to slot in another veteran free agent cornerback like Joe Haden, Kyle Fuller, or Chris Harris, or, with a later first-round pick, they could try to take a flyer on one of the Draft’s less elite corners like Washington’s Trent McDuffie or Florida’s Kaiir Elam.
The targeting of Gilmore by these playoff teams speaks to his current value in the NFL. It shows something that teams contending to win it all believe he can add value to their defense. There’s also something to be said that these teams usually have a nearly complete roster, seeking Gilmore to fill in one of their last positions of need. While Gilmore may not be able to anchor a defense by himself on a fledgling defense, he can make strong contributions when surrounded by talented teammates. In Indianapolis, he’ll team up with Kenny Moore and Facyson to lead an otherwise inexperienced group of corners.
Rams K Matt Gay Signs RFA Tender
Matt Gay has signed his tender. The restricted free agent kicker has re-signed with the Rams, reports Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic (on Twitter).
Following a breakout 2021 campaign where he earned his first career Pro Bowl nod, the Rams slapped Gay with a restricted free agent tender. The one-year tender will lock the kicker into a $2.54MM salary for the 2022 campaign.
Gay had stints with the Buccaneers and Colts before catching on with the Rams in 2020. He got into seven games during his first season with the organization, and he had the full-time gig by the time the 2021 campaign came around.
This past season, the 28-year-old connected on 32 of his 34 field goal attempts and 48 of his 49 extra point tries. Gay also came through in the playoffs, converting 80 percent of his field goals and all 11 of his extra point attempts. This included a Super Bowl-winning performance where the kicker finished with five points.
Rams, Steelers Interested In Tyrann Mathieu
Nearly a month into free agency, Tyrann Mathieu‘s market continues to move slowly. But the three-time All-Pro has now seen several suitors emerge since the calendar turned to April. Two more revealed themselves recently.
The Rams and Steelers are interested in the veteran cover man, who has already met with the Saints and Eagles. Mathieu, understandably, is also believed to be interested in joining the defending champions, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano said during a recent SportsCenter appearance (via 247sports.com). As of Wednesday, the Steelers hold just more than $13MM in cap space; the Rams sit at $7MM.
[RELATED: Chiefs Did Not Make Offer To Mathieu]
Mathieu (30 in May) and the Rams have been in contact recently, though Graziano noted a deal might not come together until after the draft. That post-draft juncture could become relevant. Shortly after the draft, free agents added no longer count toward the league’s compensatory formula. That early-May date annually triggers more free agency activity, with teams free to pursue players without additions affecting their 2023 draft ledgers.
The Steelers were connected to Mathieu in March, and interest remains, per Bob Labriola of the team’s website. It does not sound like Pittsburgh is willing to pay Mathieu at a rate similar to his most recent Kansas City deal (three years, $42MM), but the team has been unusually active on the market this year. Beyond Mitchell Trubisky, the Steelers added a few starters in Myles Jack, Levi Wallace and James Daniels. Four-year safety starter Terrell Edmunds remains unsigned. A Mathieu arrival would commence at an interesting point, with Minkah Fitzpatrick on the cusp of a monster extension.
Lucrative deals headline the Rams’ defensive depth chart, leading to another March role-player exodus. The Rams let Darious Williams, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Corbett walk in free agency before trading Robert Woods. They found room for Bobby Wagner, however. Mathieu, who was 3-for-3 in Pro Bowl nods as a Chief, would represent a fourth player with multiple All-Pro honors on Los Angeles’ defense. At safety, the Rams have their 2021 starters (Jordan Fuller and Taylor Rapp) under contract. Each is coming off a season-ending injury.
Rams Have Been In Contact With CB Stephon Gilmore
The Rams are seemingly connected to every big name, and it sounds like they’ve kicked the tires on a former Defensive Player of the Year. According to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic, the Rams “have been in contact” with cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
Of course, while the Rams may have interest in a player of Gilmore’s caliber, it’s uncertain if they’ll be able to afford the defensive back. As Rodrigue notes, the organization “couldn’t pay anywhere near” what the cornerback was expecting heading into the offseason. Still, it wouldn’t be the first time a player has taken a significant pay cut in pursuit of a ring, and if Gilmore’s market isn’t what he anticipated, it’d make some sense if he settled for a one-year, prove-it deal with a contender.
In Los Angeles, Gilmore would be a natural fit opposite Jalen Ramsey. Plus, as Rodrigue writes, Gilmore’s presence on the outside would allow Ramsey to also serve in the “star” position. In that situation, Gilmore and someone like Robert Rochell or David Long Jr. would occupy the outside spots.
Gilmore, 31, being patient is unsurprising here, given his quest to see a pay raise during the second half of his Patriots tenure. Gilmore voiced frustration about his Pats contract — a five-year, $65MM deal that became wildly team-friendly as the market moved — in 2020 and 2021, leading to a pay bump for the ’20 season and a trade to the Panthers the following year. Leading up to free agency, Carolina had not closed the door on a Gilmore re-signing. He’s since received interest from the Raiders and Chiefs, but a deal hasn’t materialized.
The veteran was limited to only nine games this past season, but he still managed to earn his fourth-straight Pro Bowl nod after finishing with a pair of interceptions.
Chargers To Sign LB Troy Reeder
Troy Reeder is changing teams, but not locations. Pro Football Network’s Mike Kaye reports that the linebacker is signing a one-year deal with the Chargers.
Reeder, 27, joined the Rams as a UDFA in 2019. In three seasons there, he started 25 of 49 games, taking on a greater role with each passing year. The 2021 campaign saw him make a career-high 91 tackles and add two sacks, as well as a pair of interceptions. He was not tendered as an RFA, though, leaving him open to sign elsewhere.
That became a much greater possibility, of course, when the Rams signed Bobby Wagner. The longtime Seahawk represents a sizeable addition to what was seen as one of the few weak spots on the reigning champions’ roster. Now, Reeder will join a revamped Chargers defense looking to improve on its 30th overall ranking against the run last season.
To that end, the Chargers have already signed former Ram Sebastian Joseph-Day. Reeder now represents another face which will be familiar to head coach Brandon Staley, who was previously the Rams’ defensive coordinator. He will join a linebacking corps which also includes 2020 first rounder Kenneth Murray, another player known for his size and aggression.
Reeder should see significant playing time, either as a starter or key backup in the middle of the Chargers’ defense. If the team’s other additions on that side of the ball (most notably Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson) play to their potential, he could find himself playing in a second straight Super Bowl.
Latest On OBJ’s Recovery, Free Agency
Odell Beckham Jr. is progressing well after sustaining his second ACL tear in a 15-month span, but the former Pro Bowler is not expected to be available to start the 2022 season, Tyler Dragon of USA Today tweets.
This injury has undoubtedly cooled the veteran wide receiver’s market. The Rams are still a possibility for Beckham, per Dragon, who notes multiple teams are still interested. As other teams fill their receiver needs with less injury-prone talents, OBJ remains a free agent.
[RELATED: Rams GM Wants To Re-Sign OBJ]
The 29-year-old receiver being set to miss the start of next season should not surprise. The 2021 season held the NFL’s first mid-February Super Bowl, and roughly seven months stand between the night of Beckham’s latest tear and Week 1. OBJ was not ready for Week 1 following his 2020 tear, which occurred in early November. While the reserve/PUP list may be where this heads, shelving Beckham for six weeks to start the season, it is too early for such predictions.
The Rams make sense for OBJ to a degree, having traded Robert Woods to the Titans. The defending champions have been in talks with Beckham and were linked to being near a re-signing in March. Allen Robinson has since signed with the Rams, and Van Jefferson could conceivably be the team’s other starter alongside Cooper Kupp. The Patriots looked into Beckham as well, but their trade for DeVante Parker reduces the chances of a partnership.
Rams Sign P Riley Dixon
The Rams parted ways with one of the most decorated special-teamers in NFL history this offseason, cutting Johnny Hekker. They have tabbed a replacement for the four-time All-Pro.
Former Broncos and Giants punter Riley Dixon agreed to terms with the Rams on Tuesday, according to a team announcement. It is a one-year deal, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Dixon is a six-year veteran who has not missed a game since entering the NFL as a seventh-round pick in 2016.
Dixon surfaced this offseason as one of the cuts made by the Giants’ new regime. He punted in New York for the past four seasons, signing an extension to stay on with Big Blue. The Giants released Dixon five days before the Rams axed Hekker. The latter has since made his way to the Panthers, while Dixon will receive an opportunity with a third NFL team. The Broncos traded Dixon to the Giants in 2018.
Dixon, 28, averaged just more than 44 yards per punt in his final two Giants seasons. Despite beginning his career with two seasons in Denver’s thin air, Dixon posted his best average in New Jersey’s less friendly punting environment. He notched a 46.1-yard average in 2019. Hekker was attached to a high salary (on the punter spectrum) and finished with a 44.2-yard average last season.
Latest On Bobby Wagner’s Free Agency Decision
Bobby Wagner‘s Rams contract initially came in at five years and $50MM, but like most NFL deals, the actual numbers are more team-friendly. The deal is closer to a two-year, $17.5MM pact, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The Ravens came in with a better two-year offer, per Rapoport, who notes Baltimore sent Wagner a two-year, $18MM proposal (Twitter link). Baltimore stepped up for Wagner, with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter) adding the $18MM offered was fully guaranteed. Incentives included in Wagner’s deal, and the future Hall of Fame linebacker’s desire to return home to Los Angeles, led to the Rams winning out. Wagner visited both the Rams and Ravens.
Los Angeles included $10MM fully guaranteed, with $3.5MM of that coming in 2023, Florio notes. Wagner will see that $3.5MM fully guaranteed Friday; the rest of his $11MM 2023 salary is nonguaranteed. Wagner being on the Rams’ roster by Day 5 of the 2023 league year will guarantee him a 2024 roster bonus worth $2.5MM, per Florio, who provides more clarity on the incentives that helped push Wagner to L.A. Wagner and the Rams appear to have agreed on names for said incentives, one of which can void the deal’s final three seasons.
The Agent Wagz Wally’s Wage Incentive can net the self-represented linebacker up to $2MM per year in incentives geared around playing time and achievements. The Wage Wagz’s Colony Coin Incentive (these are apparently very real) would pay out $1MM per year if Wagner is named a first-team All-Pro. Wagner’s six first-team All-Pro honors trail only Ray Lewis and Mike Singletary (seven apiece) among post-merger off-ball linebackers, but he did not earn such acclaim in 2021. The void incentive — officially the Agent Wagz Archibald Ranch Au Revoir Void — would allow Wagner to scrap the 2024-26 years if he plays 90% of the team’s defensive snaps and the Rams make the playoffs each year, Florio adds. With Wagner set to turn 34 during the 2024 season, which is the first of the contract’s three nonguaranteed years, the third incentive might not affect the Rams much.
Baltimore signed Marcus Williams to a five-year, $70MM deal and is looking for defensive line help. Wagner, 31, would have provided a boost on the Ravens’ defensive second level, but L.A. native will team with Ernest Jones with the Rams instead. Although Wagner expressed dissatisfaction with the Seahawks on the way out, he said it did not play into his decision to sign with an NFC West team.
“A lot of people think that it went into my decision, being able to play the Seahawks,” Wagner said, via the Associated Press’ Greg Beacham (on Twitter). “I don’t have that much hate in my heart. I really wanted to be happy, and I wanted to be close to home and stay on the West Coast. That was important to me. But playing the Seahawks twice a year was a cherry on top. I’ll make sure I’ll tell them. It won’t be a quiet game for me.”