Checking in on Rams’ offensive coordinator search
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/15539/checking-in-on-rams-offensive-coordinator-search
EARTH CITY, Mo. — Real, tangible news on the St. Louis Rams’ search for an offensive coordinator has been difficult to uncover.
That’s probably by the design of head coach Jeff Fisher, who surprised many last year when he and Gregg Williams solved whatever issues they had and reunited in St. Louis after Fisher relieved Tim Walton of his defensive coordinator duties.
After Brian Schottenheimer departed for the offensive coordinator job at Georgia, I wrote in this space that it’s probably best not to expect Fisher’s search to play out publicly or swiftly. That isn’t how he’s handled things in the past, and it again doesn’t appear to be the case this time around.
Schottenheimer’s departure came nearly two weeks ago, and to this point it’s been hard to confirm any actual interviews taking place, though we do know of a few names the Rams have shown interest in or spoken to in some capacity. That list includes Greg Roman, Kyle Shanahan, Nathaniel Hackett and Adam Gase.
Roman never made it to a Rams interview, taking the coordinator job in Buffalo. The Rams requested an interview with Gase, but it’s unknown if that will happen. He’s received similar overtures from Atlanta, Jacksonville, Oakland and Chicago and interviewed for the head-coaching job in Denver, so he has no shortage of options. It appears he’s also going to be a strong candidate in Baltimore after Gary Kubiak moves on to Denver and Jacksonville is in better position than many might realize after Gase interviewed there Sunday. Gase has family in the Jacksonville area.
Shanahan is a name that has obvious ties to Fisher, but he looks to be headed to Atlanta with Dan Quinn if and when the Falcons hire Quinn as head coach. That can’t officially happen until after the Super Bowl but the Falcons can hire Shanahan before then.
A few others to keep an eye on include an in-house candidate in tight ends coach Rob Boras and Indianapolis special assistant Rob Chudzinski. Chudzinski is also expected to be a factor in San Francisco’s search but NFL Network reported Monday morning that the Rams have asked for permission to interview Chudzinski. It was also thought that Fisher might have a surprise candidate or two up his sleeve in the form of a current position coach somewhere in the league. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Rams have requested permission to talk to Green Bay quarterback coach Alex Van Pelt, who would fit that bill.
It’s possible more clarity could come this week as the Rams head to the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. It’s a place where plenty of NFL business gets taken care of, so even if the Rams don’t nail down their next coordinator, other dominoes could fall that might ultimately help render a decision.
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