Rams Request OC Interview With LSU’s Cortez Hankton
Former NFL wide receiver Cortez Hankton is coming off a national championship-winning season as a Georgia assistant, and he recently accepted an offer to join Brian Kelly‘s LSU staff. A second offseason relocation may be in the cards.
The Rams want to interview Hankton for their offensive coordinator vacancy, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Los Angeles is looking to replace Kevin O’Connell, who officially became the Vikings’ head coach this week.
Hankton, 41, is currently LSU’s wide receivers coach and passing-game coordinator but is coming off a season in which he helped Georgia to its first national title since 1980. In place as the Bulldogs’ wideouts coach and pass-game coordinator from 2019-21, Hankton has seen his stock rise after former walk-on Stetson Bennett threw 29 touchdown passes despite key injuries to his receiving corps last season.
A former UDFA out of Texas Southern, Hankton spent some time as a Jaguars receiver in the 2000s but has become better known as a coach. He was on staff as Vanderbilt’s wideouts coach prior to his Georgia role. Hankton has not previously coached in the NFL.
The Rams plan to interview Falcons quarterbacks coach Charles London for this non-play-calling position. Running backs coach Thomas Brown, former Raiders OC Greg Olson and ex-Rams assistant-turned-Kentucky OC Liam Coen are also on the radar to be Sean McVay‘s top offensive lieutenant.
Vikings Notes: Coaching Staff, Scheme, O’Connell
With new head coach Kevin O’Connell in place, the Vikings made a number of announcements at his inaugural press conference. Among those was the confirmation of several assistants on his staff, as reported by ESPN’s Courtney Cronin (Twitter link). 
One of the most notable names on the list is that of Mike Pettine. The 55-year-old was reported to be joining the team’s staff earlier in the week, albeit not as the defensive coordinator as was originally thought by some. The team unveiled that his title will be assistant head coach, the highest-ranking position he’ll have had since his time in Cleveland in 2014-2015.
In addition, Ed Donatell was confirmed as the team’s new defensive coordinator, giving first-time HC O’Connell a vastly experienced staffer on the defensive side of the ball. Several assistants were also announced, each in the roles they were initially reported to be filling: Chris Rumph as defensive line coach, Chris O’Hara and Jerrod Johnson to work with the team’s quarterbacks, Chris Kuper and Justin Rascati to coach the offensive line, as well as Brian Angelichio and Curtis Modkins to serve as offensive pass and run game coordinators, respectively.
Here are some other Vikings notes, including further announcements from the presser:
- As Ben Goessling of The Minneapolis Star Tribune writes, the Vikings will switch to a 3-4 base defense, something that hasn’t been seen in Minnesota since the 1980s. With that said, the team, like almost all in the NFL now, will still principally deploy its nickel package, and they plan to switch between three- and four-man fronts within drives and games.
- In a widely expected announcement, O’Connell confirmed that he will call plays on offense. That will make him the first Vikings HC to do so since Brad Childress, and keep him in line with the structure he is leaving under the Rams and Sean McVay. O’Connell added that he plans to include the “up-tempo offensive concepts” he developed in L.A. within Minnesota’s offense.
- One assistant coach who will not be following O’Connell to the Vikings is Jonathan Cooley. The Rams’ assistant defensive backs coach has been blocked from interviewing with Minnesota (Twitter link via Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic). Especially given the loss of Ejiro Evero earlier this offseason, keeping Cooley would be particularly important for the Rams.
Rams To Interview Charles London For OC
In their search to replace departed offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell, the Rams have set their sights on Falcons quarterbacks coach Charles London. According to D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he is set to interview with L.A.
[Related: Vikings Hire Kevin O’Connell]
London, 46, only took on his current post last season. Before that, he had been the running backs coach at Penn State, then with the Texans and Bears. His connection with Falcons head coach Arthur Smith dates back to their time together in Tennessee in 2011.
London’s name came up last week as an OC candidate, when he was named as a candidate for the position in Miami. Ledbetter notes that London is thought to have had “a great interview” with the Dolphins, but was expected to remain with the Falcons before today’s news.
If London does ultimately get the job in L.A., it would be his first time serving as an OC at the college or NFL level. Whether with the Rams or elsewhere, it is expected he will land that position sooner than later, given his role on Smith’s staff but also his attendance at the NFL Quarterback Coaching Summit, which helps put assistants on the path to OC gigs. Just as the case would have been in Miami, London would not call plays with the Rams, though he does have experience in play design.
Vikings Eyeing Another Rams Assistant
- New Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell is interested in more Rams assistants. Minnesota requested permission to interview Los Angeles assistant DBs coach Jonathan Cooley, per Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic (on Twitter). The Vikes are eyeing Cooley for their secondary coach/passing-game coordinator position. After gigs at multiple MAC schools from 2018-19, Cooley joined the Rams in 2020. The Rams are already lost their top secondary coach, Ejiro Evero, to the Broncos. They are also expected to lose tight ends coach Wes Phillips and offensive assistant Chris O’Hara to the Vikings, who are interviewing Rams running backs coach Thomas Brown for their OC job.
Latest On Aaron Donald, Sean McVay
Rumblings of early retirements for Sean McVay and Aaron Donald have, to some degree, clouded the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI celebration. At the team’s championship parade Wednesday, however, the duo did not make it sound like immediate exits are in play.
McVay started a “run it back” chant, while Donald also addressed the situation in a way that would make it difficult to imagine him retiring this year.
“We built a super team. We can bring a super team back. We can run it back,” Donald said, via USA Today’s Josh Peter.
Chiming in on the matter shortly after McVay’s appearance on stage at the parade, Rams COO Kevin Demoff said the 36-year-old head coach is “ready to defend our title,” via The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue. This would obviously be great news for the Rams, who would be one of the frontrunners to win Super Bowl LVII with McVay and Donald back. Some adjustments might need to be made in order to ensure both return.
The Rams may need to adjust Donald’s contract to ensure his 2022 return, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Donald has shared with teammates he would be ready to walk away earlier than expected, though Fowler adds these teammates have not exactly believed him. Still, this will be a situation to monitor this offseason.
Money being a driver for this retirement buzz this should not be a big surprise. Joey Bosa, Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt have surpassed Donald’s salary since he and the Rams agreed on a six-year, $135MM extension in 2018. Khalil Mack topped Donald’s $22.5MM-AAV mark later that week, but the Bears defender only did so by $500K per year. Watt’s Steelers re-up tops Donald by $5.5MM per year. With Donald going into his age-31 season, it would make sense for him to capitalize with a final top-market accord. Three seasons remain on Donald’s deal, so the Rams making an adjustment might not involve a new contract altogether.
McVay is expected to receive another extension. His current $8.5MM-per-year deal runs through 2023. Given the Rams’ arc since he took over in 2017 (four playoff appearances, two Super Bowls), he can demand to be the game’s highest-paid HC. McVay signed his last deal in 2019. During Super Bowl week, McVay addressed the topic of an earlier-than-expected exit, and when discussing his 2022 status Monday, the five-year HC did not commit to being back on the sidelines next season. Factoring in McVay’s Wednesday comments and the team he will have in place, it would be a major surprise if the Rams needed a new coach soon.
Rams Expected To Lose Wes Phillips, Chris O’Hara
- USA Today’s Mike Jones tweets that it is “sounding like” Wes Phillips and Chris O’Hara will be following newly-hired head coach Kevin O’Connell to Minnesota. The former, who is also the son of Wade Phillips, has been a TEs coach with three different teams, the most recent being the Rams. It was reported earlier this week that O’Connell was expected to give him the role of either OC or passing game coordinator. The latter only spent the 2021 season in L.A., but worked as an offensive assistant in Jacksonville and Washington before that.
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Vikings To Interview Thomas Brown For OC Job
Following a Super Bowl win on Sunday, Rams running backs coach Thomas Brown is now eyeing a potential promotion. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), Brown will interview with the Vikings for their offensive coordinator job.
[RELATED: Vikings Plan To Hire Rams’ Kevin O’Connell]
Former Rams OC (and new Vikings head coach) Kevin O’Connell will surely recruit some of his fellow Rams coaches to Minnesota, and it appears that Brown is on his list. Only 35, Brown has made a rapid rise through the coaching ranks. Following a nine-year stint in the NCAA, Brown has spent the past two years with the Rams. After starting as RBs coach in 2021, Brown also earned the title of assistant head coach in 2021.
Thanks to his success in Los Angeles, Brown was considered for the Dolphins HC gig this offseason. According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network (on Twitter), Brown impressed the Dolphins brass, and the coach is considered a “respected offensive mind” around the NFL.
Meanwhile, the Vikings are finalizing their deal with O’Connell to be their new head coach, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). An announcement is coming, and the press conference is expected to take place on Thursday.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 2/15/22
Today’s Reserve/Futures deals signed in the NFL:
Cincinnati Bengals
- CB John Brannon, QB Jake Browning, C Lamont Gaillard, S Trayvon Henderson, RB Elijah Holyfield, TE Thaddeus Moss, DE Noah Spence, TE Scotty Washington, WR Pooka Williams
Los Angeles Rams
- WR Landen Akers, T Chandler Brewer, DB Antoine Brooks Jr., DE Earnest Brown IV, DB Tyler Hall, RB Javian Hawkins, G Jeremiah Kolone, WR J.J. Koski, TE Kyle Markway, DB Kareem Orr, T Max Pircher, DE Jonah Williams
New York Giants
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Latest On Sean McVay’s Future
After the Rams’ Super Bowl victory, questions around head coach Sean McVay‘s future continue. When asked about his intention of remaining with the team for the 2022 season – something he already addressed in the lead-up to the game – his response was “we’ll see”.
[Related: Sean McVay Plans To Coach In 2022]
McVay gave that answer when speaking to Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times. It represents a stark contrast to the report before the Super Bowl from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that he is “committed to this team and coaching”.
As Chase Goodbread of NFL.com adds, McVay went on to say, “I’m just enjoying this moment right now. I’m really happy to be a part of this. Happy for that”. He also pointed out that winning a Super Bowl title might accelerate the process of his moving on from coaching. When asked if the championship would make it easier for McVay to leave the sidelines, he answered, “I think you could definitely say that”, according to Pro Football Talk’s Curtis Crabtree.
McVay, 36, became the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl with the victory on Sunday. Considering it was already the team’s second appearance in the title game in his five seasons at the helm, the thought of retirement seems far less likely than an extension to rank him amongst the highest-paid coaches in the NFL.
Nevertheless, Rams COO Kevin Demoff said, “I would agree I don’t think Sean’s current pace is sustainable, in terms of how much work he puts in, if you want to have a family”, something that McVay has repeatedly referenced when asked about his plans. Demoff added, “A month away, two months away, from everybody and I think things will feel a lot better”. Time away from the game for McVay in the offseason will likely help shape his intentions, which will in turn play a large role in the Rams’ future decisions.
AFC Coaching Notes: Bengals, Broncos, Texans, Jaguars
While Super Bowl LVI didn’t go the way the Bengals wanted, their 2021 postseason run demonstrated that they are set to be a force in the AFC for years to come. One of the results of their success is not only an expected contract extension for head coach Zac Taylor, but a number of assistants on his staff as well.
As Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network writes, the list of coaches receiving new deals includes at least five names. On the offensive side of the ball, wide receivers coach Troy Walters is listed; he jumped into coaching almost immediately after an eight-year playing career, and has worked with the Bengals’ wideouts since joining the team in 2020. The other offensive assistant is tight ends coach James Casey, who has coached that position (after playing it himself in the NFL) since 2017. He has been in Cincinnati for the past three seasons.
Defensively, new deals are forthcoming for linebackers coach Al Golden and defensive line coach Marion Hobby. The former has been coaching since 1993, between the college and NFL ranks, including the last two years with the Bengals. The latter is equally experienced, and coached the position in Cincinnati this year, after four seasons doing the same in Jacksonville and Miami. Wilson adds that strength and conditioning coach Joey Boese is the final name on the list.
Here are some other coaching notes from around the AFC:
- Nathaniel Hackett‘s new staff continues to take shape in Denver. Wilson tweets that Tyrone Wheatley is the new running backs coach. He has previously coached the position at four colleges, including Michigan, as well as the Bills and Jaguars. He was most recently the head coach at Morgan State.
- The other offensive addition in Denver is Jake Moreland, who is taking over as tight ends coach, according to 9News’ Mike Klis (Twitter link). The 45-year-old’s first NFL coaching gig came with the Jets this past season, serving as an assistant offensive line coach. Klis notes that his background is the same as fellow newcomer Ben Steele.
- Defensively, the Broncos are adding Bert Watts to their staff. He was most recently the associate head coach at Auburn, but he also held the titles of special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach. The latter will be his purview in Denver, where he was an assistant in 2012 (Twitter link via ESPN’s Dan Graziano).
- The Texans have made an interesting hire on their offensive staff. Wilson tweets that Ted White, who was a quarterback during the days of NFL Europe, and also in the CFL, has been hired as an offensive assistant. His coaching career includes stints at five college programs, and most recently in the XFL, with a background in working with QBs.
- Graziano tweets that Jacques Cesaire is coming to Houston as their defensive line coach. The former Charger defensive end began coaching in San Diego in 2015, also spending two years with the Bills as an assistant at that same position.
- Finally, Deshea Townsend is being hired by the Jaguars, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). This comes as a surprise, since he was expected to join the Vikings’ staff, but changed course due to a perceived sense he’ll get a “bigger role within the defense” in Jacksonville (Twitter link via Chris Tomasson of The St. Paul Pioneer Press). He has previously worked with cornerbacks with five different teams, including four in the NFL, Chicago being the most recent.