LA Rams News: Chargers’ Staley poaches LB Coach Barry

Barry’s defection will cut deeply

The Rams are hiring Raheem Morris as their new defensive coordinator, and just in the nick of time. The linebacking corps in disarray. The Rams run a 3-4 defense, but only have three linebackers returning to fill the middle with Micah Kiser, Kenny Young, and Troy Reeder. And the Rams will be parting ways with four players on the linebacking corps due to expiring contracts with ILB Travin Howard, OLB Samson Ebukam, OLB/DE Derek Rivers, and OLB Leonard Floyd.

As strong as the defense was in 2020, the linebackers did not have the feel of a group that carried their share of the load. Of course, the Rams have not invested in the position with any fervor. The Rams lost OLB Clay Matthews, OLB Dante Fowler Jr., ILB Bryce Hager, and ILB Cory Littleton, and replaced the quartet with free-agent signing OLB Leonard Floyd, rookie OLB Terrell Lewis, and ILB Clay Johnston (who signed on with the Carolina Panthers before the season started).

That’s a huge question now for the LA Rams. Will the departure of Barry to the Chargers and more momentum to converting to a 4-3  defense, and emphasize the strength of this LA Rams defense that seems to be overflowing with talent on the defensive line? Or do the Rams stick to a 3-4 foundation, but invest heavily in the type of linebackers required to fill the vacancies and voids in the defense?

The Rams’ top-ranked NFL defense took two major hits now. Not only did the Rams lose defensive coordinator Brandon Staley after just one season, but now he has pried Joe Barry from the Rams coaching staff as well. While it will certainly force the Rams to re-evaluate their interest in their linebackers, Barry’s continuity will be difficult to replace. Of course, the Rams must now start the search and we will be happy to research some potential replacements.

Times they are a’changing for the LA Rams. Life comes at you fast. And it seems that each year, the LA Rams are back to the hunt for replacements for coaches who are hired and promoted elsewhere. That is the cost of success in the NFL, and the LA Rams have been rather successful over the past four seasons. It’s time for another reload of the coaching staff and players. The only hiccup? There are no guarantees that the Rams can find NFL starters at linebacker among undrafted players going forward.