Los Angeles Rams News & Rumors

Coordinator Notes: Pitcher, Robinson, Williams, Kelly

Bengals quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher appears to be a clear successor to offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, who is set to become the Titans head coach. However, that inside shot at the Cincy gig won’t stop Pitcher from taking coordinator interviews elsewhere.

[RELATED: 2024 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Pitcher is set to meet with the Patriots virtually tomorrow before meeting in-person with the Raiders tomorrow night. Pitcher is then expected to meet with the Saints on Thursday. According to Albert Breer of SI.com, Pitcher actually already met virtually with the Saints and is scheduled for an in-person second interview on Thursday.

The Raiders connection is also notable. As Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network points out, Marvin Lewis is expected to be on the Raiders coaching staff, and it was Lewis who gave Pitcher his first NFL job.

Considering the success of Joe Burrow, it’s not a surprise that Pitcher is in line for a promotion. The SUNY Cortland product has spent the past four seasons as the Bengals quarterbacks coach, and he’s been with the organization since 2016.

For what it’s worth, Pitcher signed an extension with the Bengals last offseason. However, that deal surely won’t stop the coach from pursuing a promotion elsewhere, although there’s a chance that opportunity comes in Cincinnati.

More coordinator notes from around the NFL…

  • Rams passing-game coordinator Zac Robinson has generated more offensive coordinator interviews. According to Breer, both the Steelers and Raiders have requested interviews with Robinson regarding their OC vacancies. Robinson has been connected to the majority of the OC openings in the NFL. He’s set to interview with the Patriots and Saints, and he was a candidate for the Bears job before they hired Shane Waldron. Robinson has spent his entire coaching career in Los Angeles, working his way up from assistant quarterbacks coach to passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
  • Titans assistant head coach/defensive line coach Terrell Williams will interview for the Bears defensive coordinator job, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Following stints as the Raiders and Dolphins defensive line coach, Williams took the same job with the Bears in 2018. He’s spent the past six years in that role, and he earned a promotion to assistant head coach this past season. Williams’ future in Tennessee is unclear considering the team’s decision to fire Mike Vrabel following the season. Williams joins a growing list of Bears defensive coordinator candidates, a grouping that includes fellow Titans coach Chris Harris.
  • A notable name could emerge as an offensive coordinator candidate. Sources told Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports that Chip Kelly has been mentioned as an offensive coordinator possibility by a handful of head coaching candidates. As a result, several organizations have already started doing their due diligence on the former Eagles and 49ers head coach. Kelly has been the head coach at UCLA since 2018, and he recently signed an extension that will keep him with the school through at least the 2027 season.

Seahawks Arranging Second HC Interviews With Five Candidates

Seattle’s first head coaching search since 2010 has seen a number of first interviews take place, and more are coming. A list of candidates set to receive a second look has emerged as well, however.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports Seattle is arranging second interviews with five head coaching candidates: Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Raiders DC Patrick Graham, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Rams DC Raheem Morris and Cowboys DC Dan Quinn. Pelissero adds, though, that the list is likely to grow in time.

Each of those staffers has met with the Seahawks once already. The latter in particular was immediately floated as a top option to replace Pete Carroll given his ties to the organization. Quinn served as Seattle’s defensive coordinator from 2013-14, having also spent a pair of seasons there (2009-10) as the team’s defensive line coach. He has enjoyed regular season success during his time with the Cowboys, and Dallas’ postseason letdown has not taken him out of serious consideration for at least the Seahawks’ gig.

Evero, Graham and Morris join Quinn in having a background on the defensive side of the ball. Evero, like many other staffers on the Panthers, entered the 2023 season with notable expectations given his success with the Broncos. While Carolina struggled mightily on offense, Evero’s unit held up well in certain categories and finished fourth in total defense. He has drawn interest from a number of teams as a result, including the Panthers.

Morris, like Quinn, has NFL head coaching experience. The former took over after the latter was fired by the Falcons, and he also spent three seasons in charge of the Buccaneers. Morris has rebuilt his stock to an extent during his run with the Rams’ defense. He has been connected to four openings other than Seattle’s so far.

Graham’s NFL coaching career dates back to 2009, and he has worked as a DC with the Dolphins, Giants and Raiders. Las Vegas experienced a dramatic defensive turnaround after Antonio Pierce was promoted to interim head coach, and with him now having been given the position on a full-time basis, Graham could very well be on the way out. The 44-year-old held the title of assistant head coach during his time in New York, but he has never led a staff at the college or NFL levels.

As the only staffer with a background on the offensive side of the ball, Kafka’s inclusion on the list is notable. He was reported to be in danger of losing his position during the 2023 season, one in which little went according to plan for the Giants. Kafka has survived, however, and he will remain in New York for 2024 unless his second straight year receiving HC interest lands him an opportunity elsewhere.

Today’s news does not include a first interview being arranged with former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. That is signficant given the connections made between he and the Seahawks in recent days. Vrabel has interviewed with the Falcons and Chargers, so the Seahawks could have competition for his services if they decide to meet with him. In-person interviews with coaches currently on NFL staffs cannot take place until after the divisional round is completed. Given that rule, and the volume of staffers reciving an extended look, Seattle’s search will likely continue for some time.

Injury Updates: Raiders, Gilmore, Williams

Maxx Crosby, who was already a two-time Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro selection within his first four years as a pass rusher for the Raiders, surprised nobody by putting up another career year in 2023. What’s even more impressive about this year’s Pro Bowl season and second-team All-Pro selection is that Crosby accomplished both feats while dealing with a knee injury for most of the season, per Grant Gordon of NFL.com.

This week, Crosby posted a picture of himself following a successful procedure on his left knee. The procedure was reportedly meant clean up an issue with his bursa that Crosby had been dealing with since Week 2 of the 2023 season. That’s not all. The 26-year-old also said recently that he will require thumb surgery. All of this information makes career-highs in tackles (90), sacks (14.5), and tackles for a loss (a league-leading 23) this season all the more impressive.

Elsewhere in Vegas, running back Josh Jacobs saw his own injury information made public earlier this month. After leading the league in rushing yards in 2022, Jacobs’ disappointing 2023 campaign came to an unceremonious end four weeks early, as the 25-year-old missed the final four games of the season with injury.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Jacobs had “been dealing with two deep bone contusions that…restricted his range of motion, preventing him from being cleared by the team medical staff.” Pelissero relays that the issues did not result in any structural damage and that Jacobs should be fully healthy heading into free agency this offseason.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL, starting with an update out of northeast Texas:

  • Before Super Wild Card weekend, Cowboys veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore found out that he had suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder. An injury like that is certainly grounds for season-ending surgery that late in the season. Gilmore, though, made the conscious decision to delay surgery, toughing it out for what he hoped would be the second Super Bowl run of his career, per Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News. Gilmore wore a shoulder harness and played 100 percent of the defensive snaps for Dallas in their loss to the Packers. He would’ve done that three more times, if given the opportunity. With the Cowboys’ season now officially ended, Gilmore said that he expected surgery soon, giving him plenty of time to be ready to play in 2024, wherever that may be for the pending free agent.
  • Lastly, the Rams saw rookie sensation Kyren Williams suffer a hand injury in last weekend’s loss to the Lions. The running back out of Notre Dame finished the regular season behind only Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry in rushing yards but was forced to exit his team’s playoff game with a broken bone in his hand, according to Rams senior staff writer Stu Jackson. Williams underwent successful surgery on Tuesday of this week and should have plenty of time to recover for his sophomore campaign.

Patriots Interviewing Candidates For Coordinator Positions

New Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo has been on the job for a week now and is starting to look into filling out his coaching staff. A report from Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS informed of the team’s plan to interview their current defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington for their open defensive coordinator position. In addition, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that New England would interview Rams assistant special teams coach Jeremy Springer for a special teams coaching job.

Covington has been in New England since 2017, when he earned his first NFL job as a coaching assistant. Before coming to the NFL, Covington worked as a defensive graduate assistant at UAB and Ole Miss. He followed that up with a defensive line coaching job at UT Martin and co-defensive coordinator position while coaching the defensive line at Eastern Illinois. Covington was promoted from coaching assistant to outside linebackers coach of the Patriots in 2019, the year Mayo was hired to coach inside linebackers. He transitioned to defensive line coach in 2020, where he’s remained ever since.

Since allowing Matt Patricia to depart for a head coaching gig in Detroit in 2018, the Patriots have not traditionally staffed a defensive coordinator. They’ve had defensive position coaches who delivered play calls to the wearer of the green helmet sticker, like Brian Flores and Steve Belichick after him, and people have speculated that Bill Belichick, a former defensive coordinator himself, was the one determining what plays to call, but much like 2022’s offensive play-calling mystery in New England, the team claims defensive play-calling to be the culmination of many different inputs. While that method may continue into 2024, it appears Mayo interviewing Covington displays a willingness to actually award the coordinator title to someone on staff for the first time since 2017.

Special teams, on the other hand, has been the responsibility of special teams coordinator Cameron Achord since 2020. Rapoport didn’t specify that the position Springer was expected to interview for would be a coordinator position, but Springer is considered one of the rising young coaches in the NFL, so it’s hard to imagine him changing teams for another assistant job. If that’s the case, it could point towards Achord either being an unlikely holdover candidate on Mayo’s new staff or being a likely special teams coordinator candidate wherever Belichick ends up. Springer has been with the Rams for the past two seasons after eight years coaching in at the collegiate level.

Whether or not Covington or Springer end up on Mayo’s 2024 Patriots staff, both interviews underline the start of the new regime in New England. No longer are the Patriots under the watchful eye of a multi-role head coach/coordinator/general manager. Mayo is establishing a new norm in New England, one subscribed to by most other teams in the NFL.

McVay: Matthew Stafford ‘100%’ To Be Rams’ 2024 Starter

While the Rams are eliminated, Matthew Stafford delivered a quality final-game performance to punctuate a comeback season. The 35-year-old quarterback is not planning to retire, and his job will be waiting for him when the Rams reconvene in April.

Sean McVay said Stafford “100 percent, absolutely, unequivocally” will be the Rams’ starter in 2024, per The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue. Considering the season Stafford put together, his status as the starter for a fourth year in Los Angeles no longer appeared to be in doubt. This certainly was not the case last year.

While McVay said the Rams came to a consensus that Stafford would remain the team’s starter — after an injury-plagued 2022 — the team did attempt to trade the veteran quarterback earlier during the 2023 offseason. A nagging elbow injury and a spinal contusion disrupted Stafford’s 2022 season, leading to the worst title defense in the Super Bowl era. But the veteran passer re-emerged this year, playing in 16 of the Rams’ 18 games (he rested in the team’s regular-season finale) and booking his first Pro Bowl nod with the team.

Stafford’s renewed health played the lead role in the Rams’ return to the playoffs. The team had stripped several Super Bowl pieces off its roster last year and ended up relying on numerous rookie-contract pieces. A few of those made substantial contributions to the cause. None more so than Puka Nacua, who formed an instant connection with Stafford en route to breaking Bill Groman‘s 63-year-old record — albeit in three extra games — for receiving yards by a rookie. Stafford finished with a lower completion percentage (62.6) compared to his previous Rams slates, and his 24 touchdown passes paled in comparison to the 41 he tossed during the team’s Super Bowl-winning campaign. But the 15th-year veteran ranked 5th in QBR, landing in the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2014.

The Rams extended Stafford, Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp in 2022. Donald’s contract makes 2024 a pivotal year for the team, which will likely adjust Stafford’s deal to avoid a $49.5MM cap charge. Stafford’s $31.9MM 2024 base salary became guaranteed early in 2023; the Rams have their starter tied to a $40MM-per-year deal that runs through 2026. Donald’s landmark contract expires after the ’24 season, and Nacua was in better form than Kupp for most of the ’23 slate. Still, the Super Bowl stars are on their way back to team with a promising rookie class once again.

It is not certain the Rams’ hopeful Stafford backup, Stetson Bennett, will be part of that effort. McVay stopped short of guaranteeing (via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop) Bennett would be back. The Rams placed the two-time national championship-winning QB on the reserve/NFI list in September, and while McVay believed Bennett is “doing better,” the seven-year Rams HC said it was too early to know if the young passer would be ready to be part of the team again. The Rams eyed Bennett as a potential project ahead of the draft.

Additionally, McVay said the Rams are not planning another staff shakeup. The team moved on from several coaches following its five-win 2022 season, but the longtime L.A. leader wants continuity for 2024. The only departures are set to be from teams plucking Rams assistants. That is already happening, with D-line coach Eric Henderson becoming USC’s co-DC. Rams DC Raheem Morris is up for multiple HC jobs, while QBs coach Zac Robinson is a candidate for the Bears and Saints’ OC positions. The Rams have seen frequent turnover during McVay’s successful stay, but the team is planning on keeping as many assistants as it can.

Coaching Notes: Vrabel, Seahawks, Quinn, Morris, Falcons, Staley, Browns, Giants, Izzo, Steelers, Rams

The Seahawks have not met with Mike Vrabel yet, but interest is believed to exist on the NFC West team’s part. More smoke has emerged connecting Vrabel to Seattle. Several sources indicated this is a match worth monitoring, according to ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano, while the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora has heard Vrabel and Dan Quinn are the two names to watch with regards to the Seattle HC job.

Vrabel and Seahawks GM John Schneider are believed to be close, La Canfora adds. With Pete Carroll out of the picture, Schneider — who operated in a right-hand man role as Carroll held final say — is running the show in Seattle. Vrabel sought full personnel control in Tennessee when the team was between GMs, but the organization did not grant it. A structure in which Schneider holds final say but Vrabel possesses more input than he held with the Titans could make sense, but Quinn’s four seasons — spread across two stints, the latter two as a Super Bowl-bound DC — obviously provide a strong connection. The Dallas DC was also the first candidate mentioned for this opening. Quinn has a busy week on tap; the Cowboys’ DC is interviewing virtually with the Panthers, Chargers, Seahawks, Titans and Commanders.

Here is the latest from the coaching carousel:

  • Deviating from their Arthur Blank-era trend, the Falcons are believed to be eyeing a coach with experience. Raheem Morris represents an interesting choice, considering he was Atlanta’s interim HC in 2020, but La Canfora adds some around the league view this as a potential match. Sean McVay is advocating for his three-year DC, and a coaching agent informed La Canfora that Morris is believed to have left Atlanta the first time on good terms. Morris, who served as Buccaneers HC from 2009-11, was a Falcons staffer from 2015-20. Bill Belichick having a second interview booked does point to the ex-Patriots coach being the favorite here, however.
  • Duce Staley paid a visit to the Browns this week, according to CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson. The Browns just fired running backs coach Stump Mitchell and are in need at that post. Staley did not make it into December during his first season as Panthers RBs coach, joining QBs coach Josh McCown in being fired. But Staley has been an NFL backfield coach — with the Eagles, Lions and Panthers — since 2013.
  • The Browns are also interviewing Titans outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow, per veteran NFL reporter Paul Kuharsky. While incumbent D-line coach Ben Bloom is not believed to have been fired, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot confirms the Crow report, indicating Bloom could be reassigned. Crow was with Tennessee throughout Vrabel’s six-year tenure; Bloom has enjoyed two stints in Cleveland — 2009-10 and over the past four seasons under Kevin Stefanski.
  • Seeking a replacement for six-year special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, the Giants are eyeing one of their Tom Coughlin-era assistants. Larry Izzo, the former Patriots linebacker who coached on Coughlin’s staff from 2011-15, is in the mix for the ST coordinator job, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan tweets. Izzo spent the past three seasons as the Seahawks‘ ST boss, but with Carroll gone, the organization has given its assistants permission to explore other opportunities. Izzo broke into coaching in New York, serving as assistant ST coach before moving up the ladder elsewhere.
  • The Rams are losing their defensive line coach to the college ranks. USC announced the hiring of Eric Henderson, who spent the past five seasons as the Rams’ D-line coach. Henderson’s Los Angeles run will continue; he started his NFL coaching stay with two seasons as the Chargers’ assistant D-line coach. Henderson, 40, will become the Trojans’ co-defensive coordinator.
  • Steelers assistant Glenn Thomas will rejoin Matt Rhule, according to The Athletic’s Mitch Sherman, who notes the former Baylor and Temple assistant will become co-OC at Nebraska. Thomas spent one season with the Steelers, coming to Pittsburgh after being Arizona State’s OC in 2022.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/18/24

Here are Thursday’s reserve/futures deals:

Los Angeles Rams

  • K Tanner Brown

Philadelphia Eagles

Washington Commanders

  • WR Brycen Tremayne

Kliff Kingsbury, Marcus Brady, Zac Robinson On Bears’ OC Radar

Kliff Kingsbury spent this season out of the NFL, returning to the college ranks after his Cardinals ouster. The Bears are interested in gauging his credentials for their newly vacated offensive coordinator gig.

The USC assistant is expected to interview for the Chicago opening, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Kingsbury has never been an NFL coordinator, though he spent four seasons as the Cards’ HC. Additionally, the Bears requested an OC meeting with Eagles assistant Marcus Brady, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Brady spent two seasons as Colts OC under Frank Reich.

With Caleb Williams potentially Chicago-bound, the Kingsbury fit would certainly be interesting. Kingsbury joined Lincoln Riley’s staff ahead of Williams’ final Trojans season, serving as the Pac-12 program’s quarterbacks coach. The familiarity gained would be of interest to a Bears team — perhaps even as an additional Williams scouting mission.

Although Kingsbury is the bigger name here, Brady and Matt Eberflus have more history. Both were assistants under Reich from 2018-21. The 2021 season involved Brady, who replaced Nick Sirianni as Indianapolis’ OC, and Eberflus in place as Reich’s coordinators.

The Reich coaching tree has taken a hit this year, seeing as Reich himself has been fired during the past two seasons and Sirianni’s Eagles completing one of the most shocking freefalls in recent memory. But Eberflus received a third year with the Bears, showing improvement down the stretch. He should be expected to meet with Brady, who spent this season as a senior offensive assistant in Philly. Brady has not yet called plays in the NFL, with Reich holding that responsibility throughout his Colts tenure.

Kingsbury, 43, guided a Cardinals team down J.J. Watt and DeAndre Hopkins to the playoffs in 2021. But cracks in Arizona’s foundation became glaringly apparent a year later. Kingsbury-Kyler Murray discord emerged, and the Cardinals’ offense — already reliant on shorter passes — took a step back in a 4-13 campaign that ended with Murray on the shelf with a torn ACL and Kingsbury fired months after he had inked an extension. The Cards ranked 21st offensively in 2022 but finished 13th and 11th in 2020 and ’21, respectively. Kingsbury was believed to be rejecting OC meetings last year, though he did end up in Houston to discuss the Texans’ play-calling job that went to Bobby Slowik.

Returning to the college level, Kingsbury coached Williams to another strong season. Although Williams was not on the Heisman radar in 2023, he topped his Heisman-year numbers in yards per attempt and completion percentage. The Trojans also finished third in scoring nationally, matching their place from 2022.

Additionally, the Bears scheduled an OC interview with Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Robinson, 37, has been on Sean McVay’s Rams staff for the past five years. Four of those, including the team’s Super Bowl-winning year, have come coaching QBs. Losing OC Kevin O’Connell in 2022, McVay elevated Robinson to QBs coach; he had been L.A.’s assistant QBs coach in 2021. The Rams went outside the organization to replace Liam Coen as OC, hiring Mike LaFleur, but Robinson remained onboard as QBs coach.

The Bears, who essentially have a Williams-or-Justin Fields decision looming, is Kingsbury’s first connection to another NFL job. Here is how their OC chase looks so far:

  • Marcus Brady, senior offensive assistant (Eagles): Interview requested
  • Thomas Brown, offensive coordinator (Panthers): To interview
  • Liam Coen, offensive coordinator (Kentucky): To interview
  • Kliff Kingsbury, quarterbacks coach (USC): To interview
  • Greg Olson, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/12
  • Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interviewed 1/18
  • Greg Roman, former offensive coordinator (Ravens): To interview
  • Shane Waldron, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interview requested

Saints Request OC Interviews With Dan Pitcher, Zac Robinson

The Bengals could not follow up their run of back-to-back AFC championship game appearances with another playoff berth, seeing Joe Burrow‘s injury disrupt their progress. But Cincinnati staffers are still being considered for promotions.

With Brian Callahan receiving extensive HC interest, Bengals quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher is also in the mix for at least one OC role. The Saints sent Pitcher an interview request for their play-calling post, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones tweets.

Pitcher interviewed for the Buccaneers’ OC job last year and drew interest from the Ravens. With Jake Browning submitting some quality work during the Bengals’ post-Burrow stretch, it stands to reason teams will be interested in seeing what Callahan and Pitcher have to offer on this year’s coaching carousel.

Fifteen years have passed since the Saints have searched for an offensive coordinator. Pete Carmichael held the job from 2009-23, serving as one of the longest-tenured assistants in modern NFL history. While teams have kept an offensive HC as their play-caller for longer (though, even that is rare), it is nearly unheard of for a coordinator to stay in one position that long. The Saints used Carmichael as their play-caller for the past two years, with defense-oriented Dennis Allen succeeding Sean Payton. But they fired the veteran staffer Tuesday.

The Saints could run into multiple issues with Pitcher. Not only will New Orleans attempt to hire an OC with its head coach set to enter the 2024 season on a hot seat, but Callahan’s prospects on the HC carousel would stand to affect Pitcher. The Bengals have employed Pitcher since 2016, and the team extended him last year. He is viewed as a natural in-house Callahan replacement, should he land a top job this offseason.

Pitcher, 37, worked as a Colts scout for four years under Ryan Grigson but has been a Bengals coach since their Marvin Lewis years. Zac Taylor kept Pitcher upon taking over and elevated him to assistant QBs coach in 2019; since 2020, Pitcher has been Burrow’s position coach. The Bengals have managed to keep their core staffers on offense together since Burrow’s arrival, but teams’ interest could disrupt that status this year.

Rams assistant Zac Robinson is also on the Saints’ radar. New Orleans sent Sean McVay‘s quarterbacks coach an interview request as well, according to NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill. The McVay tree is already one of the NFL’s most fruitful, and it is probably not a coincidence the Saints are requesting meetings with Pitcher — who has learned under a McVay pupil for five years — and one of his current lieutenants.

Robinson, 37, has been on McVay’s Rams staff for the past five years. Four of those, including the team’s Super Bowl-winning year, have come coaching QBs. Losing OC Kevin O’Connell in 2022, McVay elevated Robinson to QBs coach; he had been L.A.’s assistant QBs coach in 2021. The Rams went outside the organization to replace Liam Coen as OC, hiring Mike LaFleur, but Robinson remained onboard as QBs coach.

In addition to the McVay tree’s early supply of HCs, teams are looking into his current and former assistants as coordinators. The Bears are interviewing Shane Waldron and Thomas Brown. This is believed to be Robinson’s third OC interview request; he met with the Ravens and Chargers last year.

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/16/24

Here are today’s reserve/futures contracts:

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders

  • OL Ben Brown, S Tyreque Jones, RB Tyreik McAllister

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints