Rams DC Chris Shula keeps redefining the ceiling of NFL defenses in 2025

Imagine forming an NFL defense with the following parameters. Your budget will only be a third of the top spender. Along with limited financial resources, your "star power" will be limited to one NFL DROY, now in his second season. The majority of the defense's heavy lifting will be done by young players in their rookie contracts. And your linebacker position, the heart of the defense, will be led by an inexpensive castoff.

On paper, the Los Angeles Rams is not bursting with prowess and respect. But place this defense on a football field, and you begin to see why they are worthy of postseason contention. The thing is, this is the brainchild of defensive coordinator Chris Shula. And with the annual NFL coaching carousel, fans would be well-advised to enjoy it while you can.

He will almost certainly be a head coach in 2026. Multiple teams are already in the market. More will join them. And as much as I hate to say it, he has all the makings of a solid NFL head coach right now, complete with some solid endorsements:

In the NFL, respect is earned. And so far, Shula has earned the respect of NFL players, coaches, and analysts. So, what did he do to earn that respect? Well, he has adapted to a season that has thrown a host of challenges at him. To defend a proficient Seattle Seahawks offense, he showed the nickel package, flooding the football field with defensive backs.

Genius.

Chris Shula's strategy has been spectacularly effective

After Los Angeles was shown the door in the Divisional Round of the 2025 NFL Playoffs, Shula understood that he had to bolster the run defense. But unlike many teams, he had to do so at a fraction of the cost paid by other teams.

The plan (in retrospect) was inspired. He landed one of the NFL's most accomplished but under-the-radar nose tackles in former Los Angeles Chargers free agent Poona Ford. He then grabbed former Atlanta Falcons inside linebacker Nate Landman. The results?

A consistently stingy run defense.

But that wasn't enough. The team was expected to invest in the secondary, both in free agency and in the draft. But Shula (and head coach Sean McVay) were happy with the players on the roster. They simply needed to be coached up. And with both Ahkello Witherspoon and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. finally getting a chance to participate in their first training camp, that seemed like a viable plan.

When Witherspoon fell to injury, general manager Les Snead quickly responded by trading for promising young cornerback Roger McCarty. And just like that, Forbes and McCarty landed in Shula's secondary, both highly regarded rookie prospects.

Getting better needn't mean getting poorer in Chris Shula's defense.

The legacy coach for Los Angeles truly gets the most from his players. He pried four interceptions from quarterback Sam Darnold in one game, a quarterback who had thrown just six interceptions in nine games prior. It was no accident. Shula schemed it that way.

And so, enjoy the present. Chris Shula has all the makings of the next successful NFL head coach. This is not a question of if he will be hired away, but by whom. And worst of all, with LA projecting nine key defenders to hit free agency in 2026, the future may not be only about losing another defensive coordinator, but losing key defensive contributors as well.

As always, thanks for reading.