That was fast.
Less than a week after the Los Angeles Rams parted ways with multiple coaches and coordinators, sources tell NBC LA, that the team is expected to hire Kevin O'Connell and Brandon Staley as their offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively.
The Rams were expected to make multiple coaching changes after they finished the 2019 season with a record of 9-7, missing the postseason less than a year after advancing to Super Bowl LIII.
On Monday, the team did not renew the contract of defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, and fired running backs coach Skip Pete. One day later, it was reported that special teams coordinator and former Rams interim head coach John "Bones" Fassel, had decided to leave the organization and sign with the Dallas Cowboys under the same position.
On Friday, the Rams have reportedly found replacements for two of those vacancies.
O'Connell, 34, replaced Rams' head coach Sean McVay as the offensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins for the past three seasons, and will become the first offensive coordinator under McVay since current Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur held the position in 2017.
McVay has not had a full-time offensive coordinator the last two seasons.
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
Staley, 37, has spent the last three seasons as the Denver Broncos outside linebackers coach, and is expected to run the same 3-4 defensive scheme that the Rams ran under Phillips. The similarity in schemes, should benefit veterans like Aaron Donald, Clay Matthews, and Jalen Ramsey.
The Rams' defense wasn't always the problem in 2019, although a lack of consistency in losses to the Buccaneers (55-40), the Ravens (45-6), and Cowboys (44-21) didn't help. Overall, the Rams ranked ninth in defensive efficiency this season.
Offensively is where the Rams inconsistency reared its ugly head in 2019. After averaging an NFC-best 30.8 points per game last season, the Rams averaged just 24.6 this campaign, including 25 combined points in three losses to the 49ers, Steelers, and Ravens.
Although McVay is expected to still call plays on offense, O'Connell will certainly have the opportunity to leave his stamp on the unit that battled with injuries and Todd Gurley's load management all season long.
Fixing the offense will start at the quarterback position with Jared Goff, who saw his QBR rating drop from 63.7 in 2018, to a paltry 48.5 this season. The Rams run game will also need to improve as it dropped from third in the NFL in 2018 with 139.1 yards per game, to 26th this season with just 93.7 yard per game.
The official announcement of the hires is expected to happen next week. The Rams have still not hired a new running backs coach or special teams coordinator.
ESPN's Adam Schefter was the first to report the hirings.
