What to make of the LA Rams special teams for 2023?

The LA Rams special teams were certainly a mixed back for the 2022 NFL season. The team had a great performance by placekicker Matt Gay. A not-so-hot performance from veteran punter Riley Dixon. And a bit of regression by special team return specialist Brandon Powell.

But in the end, it all added up to the team’s decision to fire (or a gentler term, part ways with) Special Teams Coordinator Joe DeCamillis.

The only question now is: What now?

The obvious answer is that the LA Rams will need to hire a new special team coordinator. But will that be an NFL or NCAA candidate? And what happens after that? How will the team address kicker, long snapper, punter, and return specialist duties this season?

Well, that is a very important, yet complex, question facing the LA Rams right now.

But what of NFL special teams? We know that the Houston Texans showcased a great special teams unit this year (Ranked #1 by Rick Gosselin), spearheaded by ST Coordinator Frank Ross. With his team now hiring a new head coach, will he be available? Let’s hope so.

Another NFL team with a head coach vacancy is the Carolina Panthers (Ranked #4 by Rick Gosselin). Their special teams were led by Chris Tabor, a veteran of 25 years of coaching who had worked with both the Chicago Bears and the Cleveland Browns in the past.

A final NFL team with a solid special teams unit but with a head coaching vacancy is that of the Indianapolis Colts (Ranked #8 by Rick Gosselin). Their ST Coordinator is Bubba Ventrone, a coach with 17 years of NFL coaching experience in the NFL, and five seasons of ST coaching with the Colts.

Where will the LA Rams find their next ST Coordinator? My guess is that the team will look for a top ST coordinator from the college ranks. Why? The team has tried and failed, to find THE guy from the ranks of the NFL veterans. This time, I suspect a fresh new solution to an old and familiar problem.