With LA Rams OC Liam Coen back to NCAA, who is next up for Rams?

A trio of internal candidates

The trick to getting the right guy in as the offensive coordinator is to find someone who suits the unique way that the Rams have constructed the role. It’s a role that does not call the plays on game day and only offers input to the creation of the offensive playbook.

This role serves as a quarterback coach on steroids, working with the QBs and getting them up to speed on plays and philosophies. It’s also a bit of QC, often looking at underperforming players on the Rams roster, troubleshooting the challenges hampering their full optimization, and then developing an action plan to improve their performance.

Jay Gruden

The first name to consider is the LA Rams ‘consultant’, Jay Gruden. He holds a long-standing relationship with McVay, and that has an intrinsic trust that no other person is likely to bring to the table. And the best part is, he is already a consultant for the team.

Gruden may or may not be someone you appreciate, but the truth is that he has a long-standing relationship with Rams HC Sean McVay, and their chemistry has been the foundation of what McVay has developed in his NFL offenses. There is no reason to believe that Gruden is a ‘Yes man,’ when it comes to McVay. But he has been a consultant to the worst LA Rams offense in Sean McVay’s tenure. I would have expected his role to have a more direct impact on identifying some of the questionable decisions over starting roles before they were allowed to create more problems for this offense.