Difficult "Ram"ifications if DC Raheem Morris lands HC promotion

The LA Rams lost former first-year Defensive Coordinator Brandon Staley after their 2020 NFL season when he was hired to become the Head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. Before that, the Rams had flourished under the watchful eye of former venerable Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips. If you recall, Phillips led the LA Rams defense from 2017-2019. Then Staley took over for 2020. Since that time, the defense has been entrusted to Defensive Coordinator Raheem Morris. from 2021-2023.

But, by all accounts, it appears that the LA Rams defense may be looking for a new skipper to steer the ship in 2024 and into the future. LA Rams DC Raheem Morris had interviewed with five NFL teams to this point. Now, ESPN's NFL Insider, Adam Schefter reports that Morris has been asked to appear for a second in-person interview with four NFL teams: The Atlanta Falcons, the Carolina Panthers, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Washington Commanders.

Four teams. That sound pretty promising for Raheem Morris.

My guess is (and at this point, it's merely speculation) that one or more teams will make an offer to bring in Raheem Morris as their next head coach. The need exists for multiple NFL teams to harness what Morris excels at. In this case, it's the ability to see starlight in the darkness. Far too many NFL teams are mired in the unforgiving history of squandered opportunities and poor judgment, to the point that the entire organization has stopped believing that help is on the way.

Of all DCs in the NFL, how many do you think of when reconsidering what the LA Rams asked of Morris in 2023. Essentially, the Rams planned to part ways with two All-Pro NFL legends for nothing in return (at least in terms of defensive help). The secondary would be rostered by second-year players who had limited playing time in 2022. And the Rams would rely on at least two rookies as starters in 2023,. Worst of all, the Rams shed any veteran experience from their OLB room.

Despite all these factors, or perhaps thanks to them, the LA Rams went on a 7-2 run after their Week 10 BYE to land a sixth-seeded berth in the 2024 NFL Playoffs. The Rams were just two points away from advancing to the Divisional Round. From what we had seen so far, the Rams appeared to be tough matchups for any NFC playoff teams that have continued to compete past the Wild Card Round.

What will NFL Teams love about Raheem Morris?

1. Morris innovates
2. Morris is a leader of men
3. Morris was instrumental in winning 1st Rams SB for Los Angeles, California

Morris innovates

The LA Rams criteria for newly-hired DC Raheem Morris was not a blank check. The Rams, boasting the 2020 regular season's top-ranked defense, did not want to surrender so many hard-fought gains on the defensive side of the football. And so, Morris was shackled to preserving as many of former DC Brandon Staley's concepts as possible.

Those initial rules that acted like a 18-wheel truck's governor, held Morris back from making wholesale sweeping changes to the defense that he had inherited. Still, he was experienced enough to know that changes were necessary to fix what had become an exploited flaw in the Rams defense.

Under Staley, the Rams outright ignored the interior linebacker positions. The Rams were content to pit undrafted or late Day 3 drafted players to sit in the cockpit of the defense. It took some time, but the winless New York Jets were able to assess and exploit that vulnerability. That same weakness would prove to be fatal as the Green Bay Packers attacked the heart of the Rams defense relentlessly with runs and short passes.

In 2021, the LA Rams drafted ILB Ernest Jones to plug the glaring hole in the Rams defense.

When the Rams had an opportunity to sign All-Pro ILB Bobby Wagner, the Rams did not have an obvious need for the veteran thumper. So, Morris concocted a defense that would allow the Rams to use the venerable Wagner as a primary blitzer. Wagner has played for 12 seasons in the NFL. But his 6.0 quarterback sacks in the one season with the LA Rams is a career high mark. Even as he blitzed and generated so much pressure on opposing quarterbacks, he still found a way to generate 140 tackles, two interceptions, and five pass deflections.

With Raheem Morris, the Rams were never at a loss for how to optimize a player. Rather than expose his players to unnecessary vulnerabilities, he attempted to compensate to optimize their impacts. That often get lost on fans, unfortunately.

Morris is a leader of men

The modern era NFL is no longer receptive to the old-school management styles of yesteryear. In olden days, what the coach said was gospel, and the only acceptable questions from players were: How high? Hor Far? Or, how long? That style of management by menu simply no longer cuts it in the NFL, as players invest nothing without a full comprehension of why.

The leadership of Raheem Morris has never been on full display than the 2023 NFL season. The Rams had one player with 10+ years of experience: DT Aaron Donald. The Rams roster held just four more players who were playing on non-rookie contracts. The Raams has 16 players on defense who were veterans but still competing on rookie contracts. And the Rams held 10 rookies on defense.

In terms of youth, the Rams defense was bursting at the seams. In terms of experience? The LA Rams defense was sorely lacking. So what was the difference maker? In any uncertain times, people tend to flock to the voice of reason, the man with a plan. And amidst all the turbulence and turmoil of the 2023 NFL season, DC Raheem Morris held his head up high and showed immeasurable confidence in his young players.

Even as young players like DB Derion Kendrick suffered mental mistakes that drew the ire of fans, Morris' faith in the young man was unshaken. Kendrick's playing time may have oscillated over the course of the 2023 NFL season, but he was not embarrassed and benched by an irate coach. Rather, the team began to slide in other players to compete for playing time with Kendrick.

The Rams roster was inherently young and inexperienced in 2023. Somehow, Morris managed to turn inexperience into the advantages of high-energy and ferocity that never ceased. The young Rams football players did not know when to 'give up,' because their defensive coordinator never game up. And so, their 'norm,' became playing ruthlessly until the final whistle.

Morris was instrumental in winning 1st Rams SB for Los Angeles, California

The LA Rams won Super Bowl LVI, the first NFL Championship by the LA Rams franchise for the city of Los Angeles, California in the history of the franchise. While that itself was a monumental feat that deserves its own stage, the truth is that the LA Rams faced several key decision points that had the option of improving as a team, or falling back to not-good-enough.

It was the leadership of DC Raheem Morris that kept the Rams entire organization on the right track.

When the Rams entered postseason competition in 2022, the team suffered dramatic injuries to both starting safeties on the team: Both S Jordan Fuller and S Taylor Rapp were unable to suit up for the Rams for the NFL Playoffs. Any other DC would have either thrown in the towel, or tried to convert a cornerback to safety to make-do, and in the process weaken the entire Rams secondary and rotation.

Morris had other plans.

Raheem Morris confidently promoted safety Nick Scott to a starting role. That was a pretty significant gamble to take, as Morris was placing his reputation, and the fate of the LA Rams, into the hands of a young defensive back with 600 defensive snaps in three NFL seasons. Now, he would be counted on to shut down the best offenses in the NFL over a span of four, win-or-go-home, games.

Perhaps the greater miracle lie in Raheem Morris' ability to persuade former LA Rams veteran safety Eric Weddle out of his two-year retirement to rejoin the LA Rams for one final run at a Super Bowl. Now, keep in mind that Weddle had last played as the starting safety for the Rams in 2019. It was now 2022, and the Rams were about to compete in the 2022 NFL Playoffs.

The gamble paid out the ultimate jackpot. Nick Scott's vicious hits dislodged the football from two star receivers in two successive playoff games, allowing the Rams to advance. And his thump on San Francisco 49ers WR Deebo Samuel was such that it was the key to the Rams victory:

Small decisions. Huge gambles. Epic success. You can live life by playing it safely, but always wondering what might have been. Yes, some of Raheem Morris's decisions did not pay out. But as NFL fans, do you want a coach who consistently plays it safe? Do you want someone who doesn't take chances?

It may be frustrating at times, but with Raheem Morris, you will never suffer the what-if curse of never knowing what might have been if you had a team that took a chance. Players love to play hard for a coach who believes in them. And Rams DC Raheem Morris has made a career of believing in his players.

Will the Rams find someone who can replicate the Goodwill Ambassadorship that DC Raheem Morris brings to the LA Rams? I'm not sure if they can. But the Rams will likely find it necessary to do so.

The Rams coaching quality took a significant hit in the loss of Coach Eric Henderson to the USC Trojans. The Rams coaching quality will likely take another major hit as DC Raheem Morris is hired to take on a new head coaching role elsewhere. But let's give credit where credit is due. Don't hate the guy for what you think he didn't do. Appreciate the guy for what the team did under his watch.

And yet, after three seasons, some fans will still applaud if he is hired away, and not for the right reasons.

Despite what appears to be a popular opinion, Raheem Morris is a respected and astute defensive coordinator who understands football far better than many fans. He did not call defenses on game day to get social media likes. He tried to put the Rams in the best position to win and did so but tried to place Rams players into optimal situations to succeed. In the end, coaches whose focus is we, not me should be the ones who are promoted first.

And those same coaches will also be missed the most, whether or not fans realize it at the time