Report: Rams hiring Bubba Ventrone as new special teams coordinator

Cameron DaSilva

https://theramswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/rams/2026/01/29/la-rams-bubba-ventrone-special-teams-browns/88415459007/?taid=697b96ea68c9b90001d1a4a7&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter

It didn’t take Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams very long to find their next special teams coordinator. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the Rams are hiring Bubba Ventrone to lead their special teams unit.

They just interviewed Ventrone for the job on Wednesday and have settled on him as their new special teams coordinator. His hiring also comes just one day after the Browns hired Todd Monken as their head coach, opening the door for Ventrone to leave.

Ventrone spent the last three years as the Browns’ special teams coordinator and assistant head coach after a five-year stint as the Colts’ special teams coordinator from 2018-2022. He got his start in coaching in 2015 as an assistant special teams coach with the Patriots, holding that job for three years.

zn wrote:

zn wrote:

CLE Picks@ClePicks
The last sentence in agent speak bc the Browns special teams units over the last 2 years under Bubba were some of if not the worst in the league

Minnesota Browns Fan@mnbrownsfan
Tom, Bubba Ventrone is truly terrible. Losing Schwartz would be a major L. Losing Bubba is a huge W.

BronxBrownsBacker@Mz_Informashun
Oh c’mon, we’re not going to pretend that the loss of Bubba is a catastrophe now, are we? STs single-handedly lost at least four games for the Browns this past year.

goldendonut.eth@TheGolden_Donut
Ventrone is literally the single worst coordinator by unit performance that I have ever witnessed in my entire life as a Browns fan. They can have him.

Aaron Wilson@AaronWilson_NFL
#Rams hiring Bubba Ventrone, per a league source, to lead their special teams

***

Browns special teams: What is the state of this unit?

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2025/12/the-state-of-the-browns-special-teams.html

CLEVELAND, Ohio — As a whole, the Browns special teams unit has been unproductive this season.

With five games remaining, guys in this unit are playing for their jobs, whether it be a spot on this roster or the next one.

Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone has had his work cut out for him the last couple of seasons.

This unit has provided multiple examples of both benefiting and hurting the team’s winning chances, though more often the latter.

We’ll go by each subgroup of Cleveland’s special teams unit, highlighting what’s worked and what hasn’t this season.

Again, there’s still five games left. But the way this unit has been in recent time, an in-depth look felt appropriate.

Returners

The Browns’ return game has been in an interesting place in recent seasons.

Injuries derailed the Jakeem Grant experience and kept him from appearing in a regular season game in either 2022 or 2023.

Jerome Ford was really effective in the kickoff return game his rookie year, but since transitioned to a full-time running back.

That’s led Cleveland to using multiple players — usually backup wide receivers — to see what they can do.

Kickoff return

The average amount of yards per kickoff return is 25.8 yards.

Each Browns returner averages below this.

Veteran returner DeAndre Carter (24.9 yards per return) was the starter, before suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 4.

Since then, rookie returner Dylan Sampson and Malachi Corley have split the returns, both with 15 a piece. Sampson is tied for 34th yards per return (24.0), while Malachi Corley averages 22.7 yards per return.

Punt return

The average amount of yards per punt return is 10.9 yards.

Undrafted rookie Gage Larvadain has been the main punt returner, with 142 yards gained through 16 returns (8.9 per return).

Drops

Muffs have been a recent topic.

All of Cleveland’s drops have came on punt returns.

Carter muffed a punt in his final Week 4 appearance.

Larvadain’s three muffs lead all punt returners, and all were recorded in the Week 13 loss to San Francisco, one of which was recovered by the opposition.

Ventrone spoke on Larvadain’s drops and gave him the benefit of the doubt, instead pointing out the strong winds that day.

“There was significant wind there,” Ventrone said on Thursday. “Not making an excuse for the kid, but significant wind playing away from the Dawg Pound. He’s made that catch a million times.”

Protection unit

Giving up yardage is one thing. Giving up a score makes for a bigger problem.

It’s spurred questioning as to how Cleveland practices cutting angles or getting to opposing returners quicker.

This season across the NFL, there have been four kickoff return touchdowns and 11 punt return touchdowns. Cleveland is currently one of two teams to allow one of each.

Their sole kickoff TD allowed came in Week 10: a 99-yarder scored by the Jets’ Kene Nwangwu.

They’ve allowed a league-leading two punt TDs: a 65-yarder from the Lions’ Kalif Raymond in Week 4 and a 74-yarder from the Jets’ Isaiah Williams in Week 10.

Yes, you read ‘Week 10′ twice.

In that loss to New York, Cleveland allowed touchdowns on back-to-back special teams possessions.

The last team to allow both a kickoff and punt return touchdown in the same game was Chicago, back in Week 6 of the 2017 season.

But the last team to allow both in the first quarter was Indianapolis, back in Week 10 of the 2007 season.

Before the new kickoff format, kickoffs started on their own 35-yard line, and the tacklers would get a running start and could cut into the returner’s direction.

They’re now positioned on the opposing 40-yard line, and while closer, can’t move until the returner catches the kick.

This still gives them a clearer view of the returner’s running direction and can strategize from there.

Yet, it’s not enough for Cleveland’s protection unit.

Defenders

Who is helping defend?

For starters, Rayshawn Jenkins leads the team in special teams tackles (seven) and ties for 38th among qualifying players in special teams grading (82.3), per PFF.

Behind Jenkins is Myles Harden and Grant Delpit, both tying for second with six tackles a piece.

Speaking of Delpit, he’s stood out among Cleveland’s special teams.

The strong safety has been in the right place at right time. Whether it be for a tackle, forcing a fumble, or recovering one.

A prime example of this dates back to the Week 7 win over the Dolphins. During D’Wayne Eskridge’s kickoff return, Delpit knocked the ball out and Jenkins recovered it.

That play helped Delpit earn Week 7 AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Kicking

There was a surprising changing of the guard at the kicker position.

Originally, Dustin Hopkins was the expected kicker during training camp. Instead, Andre Szmyt beat out Hopkins for the starting job.

Szmyt’s been solid.

Making 16 of 19 attempts, he currently ranks 20th in field goal percentage (84.2%). Szmyt has also made three of his four kicks from 50 yards or longer.

That includes his 53-yard game-winner in Week 3 against Green Bay.

If anything, one could question if Szmyt should attempt more 50-yarders.

Through Week 6 of this season, NFL kickers were 77-for-108 on field goals of 50 yards or longer, converting to a 71.3% completion rate, per YahooSports.

You go back to last season, and there was a 71.7% rate through Week 10 of the 2024 season, per CBS Sports.

And with their slim playoff hopes, they have nothing to lose with Szmyt attempting more kicks from deep.

Conclusion

The state of this unit is not in a good place.

With five games left, it’s about building for the future. The best way players can make sure they’re part of that future is through making plays.

Gain on a return. Prevent a touchdown.

The little things that can decide a game.

Nate Atkins@NateAtkins_
Nathan Scheelhaase won’t be headed to the Browns. At least not as a head coach.

Still a couple openings left, but the odds that the Rams keep Scheelhaase and Chris Shula have gotten a good step better.

wv wrote:

InvaderRam wrote:

so landman gets a 3 year 22 million contract. jones gets a 3 year 33 million contract. they gave tutu a one year 10 million contract. and he’s inactive for the nfc championship.

weren’t they better off just giving jones the three year contract? or was he asking for more at the time?

they don’t usually make mistakes, but this time they did.

Not sure Seattle wins without Kupp and E.Jones.

w
v

I always saw Jones as a “team culture” issue. Someone–McVay, most likely, but maybe also Snead and Demoff if not both–didn’t appreciate his conduct, which I saw as complaining in public that the team wouldn’t extend him. They rewarded Landman for being a Rams-style team leader, whereas Jones is more of an edgy guy.

IMO? Jones would have made no difference. Same with Kupp. The Rams lost their opportunity when special teams undermined some games, and then that was pretty quickly followed (if memory serves) by the CBs getting undermined by injuries. Durant was pretty good but he needs to play opposite of someone better than Williams. In the end neither of the 2 projected CB starters from the summer were playing.

Special teams won’t be a hard fix. It’s already mostly fixed, except they need a returner.

They also need CBs, obviously, and they don’t have the cap space (looks like) for a FA or a trade. But you can fix that by drafting. Plus, in fact, the Rams do tend to make something out of veteran pick-ups at CB, but this time that needs to be woven in with draft picks. McReary may be a keeper. Don’t know if they can or will sign Durant.

So at this point, because it got down to the returner, STs is also really a WR issue. Whittington was too beat up all year, Atwell too expendable, Smith is not good enough, and Mumpfield was a rookie (he couldn’t come through when needed in the championship game).

They have possibly 10 picks if the projections about compensatory picks is right. 2 1s, a 2, 3, 5, 2 6s, & maybe 3 7s. The 3 7s look like trade-up fodder so it will likely be fewer that 10? Unless they trade down with the Atlanta 1. Of course they could do both.

.@Seahawks @RamsNFL @Thereal_kam2x The blitz off of play action where Sam turns his back to the D #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/dlEDLwzEgS

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) January 26, 2026

.@RamsNFL @tae15adams beating Seattle CB's one after the other. An immediate response. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/LbqN5FrVHN

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) January 26, 2026

from https://www.therams.com/news/5-interesting-stats-from-the-rams-nfc-championship-game-loss-to-seattle-matthew-stafford-displays-unprecedented-deep-ball-and-play-action-prowess

The Rams’ 0.07 expected points added (EPA) per rush was the highest allowed by the Seahawks’ defense all season, according to Next Gen Stats

That means the Rams added an average of 0.07 expected points to their total on each carry, compared to what the average team would achieve on run plays in similar contexts. Seattle’s second-highest EPA allowed was also to the Rams (0.04) in Week 11, and those were the only two positive figures yielded by the Seahawks’ defense all year.

As Rams players cleared out their lockers on Monday, offensive lineman Steve Avila said they had a good game plan, and their previous experiences against Seattle allowed them to create more push in the run game than they had previously.

Billy_T wrote:

. They can upgrade linebacker too. Never should have traded Ernest Jones.

I think the issue at LB was Young playing on a bad knee with limited snaps. Young was the Darnold nemesis. In previous games, whenever Darnold escaped the pocket, Young would run him down–Young is very fast for a guy his size. With everyone else, Darnold could make a throw or throw it away. Young, with his exceptional speed, got to him and unsettled him…he just couldn’t handle Young’s speed. This game Young didn’t play as much and was clearly a bit banged up and less effective than he usually was.

Stafford was sacked 1 time. Darnold was sacked 3. But the days where they had him shaken came from having Young running him down when he went outside the pocket right or left behind the LOS.

InvaderRam wrote:

. maybe even make a splash in free agency. if possible.

I doubt they can. I mean, of course I don’t know what they will do, but they do face this situation–all the 2023 draft picks are on their final year in 2026, and it’s a lot of them. They don’t have the cap space to sign all of their own guys as it is. We’re talking Avilla, Young, Turner, McClendon, and Nacua. Along with some guys like Bennett, Allen, Ethan Evans, and Desjuan Wms.

Man, feel really bad for him.

Just trips while backing up to field a punt, ends up being the difference in the game.

Brutal mistake on almost the biggest stage. https://t.co/fu7uKgiiaB

— Sam Monson (@SamMonsonNFL) January 26, 2026

from https://leftistviewpoints.quora.com/?__ni__=0&__tiids__=208893764&__filter__=all&__nsrc__=notif_page&__sncid__=71071952229&__snid3__=94702491698#anchor

Chris Madel dealt a huge blow to the Republican Party’s hopes of winning the Minnesota governorship by dropping out of the race in a rare show of conscience for a conservative.

Madel recorded a video explaining his decision.

“I love Minnesota. was born and raised here. My immediate family lives here. My extended family lives here. It’s my home… But today I announced the end of my campaign. I have two primary reasons for this decision. Number one, I cannot support the national

Republican state retribution on the citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so,” said Madel.

“…Operation Metro Surge has expanded far beyond its stated focus on true public safety threats. United States citizens, particularly those of color, live in fear. United States citizens are carrying papers to prove their citizenship. That’s wrong. ICE authorizes agents to raid homes using a civil warrant that need only be signed by a border patrol agent. That’s unconstitutional and it’s wrong. Weaponizing criminal investigations against political opponents is unconstitutional, regardless of who is in power.”

“And I have read about and I have spoken to countless United States citizens who have been detained in Minnesota due to the color of their skin. I personally have spoken to several law enforcement officers, some Hispanic and some Asian who have been pulled over by ICE on pretextual stops. Driving while Hispanic is not a crime. Neither is driving while Asian.”

“At the end of the day, I have to look my daughters in the eye and tell them, I believe I did what was right. And I am doing that today. Now, the second reason I’m ending my campaign is that I am above all else a pragmatist. And the reality is, is that the national Republicans have made it nearly impossible for a Republican to win a statewide election in Minnesota. It is a simple fact.”

Greg Beacham@gregbeacham
RG Kevin Dotson perfectly describes the Rams’ mood today, as usual: “It always feels like a surprise. Every team I’ve been on here, we have such supreme confidence that when we do lose, it’s like, wow, this is out of left field. I can’t believe we lost. It’s never easier.”