In a somewhat surprising move, the Rams parted ways with Wade Phillips as their defensive coordinator. Sean McVay replaced him with 37-year-old Brandon Staley, who has been an outside linebackers coach under Vic Fangio for the last three years; two in Chicago and one year in Denver.
Staley has only been an NFL coach since 2017, so his connections to players don’t exactly run deep. However, these four players are set to hit free agency in March and have played for Staley in the past.
OLB Aaron Lynch
Lynch spent one year with Staley as his coach in 2018 with the Bears, playing 13 games with three starts. He recorded three sacks, eight QB hits, one interception and 16 total tackles that year, which are admittedly not overly impressive numbers.
Lynch isn’t a prolific pass rusher, but rather a better run defender at 6-5, 285 pounds. He fits best on the strong side as a left outside linebacker, which is where Clay Matthews currently resides.
No one is saying Lynch would solve the Rams’ issues at outside linebacker, but he wouldn’t be a bad depth piece as he could probably play defensive end in sub-packages, too.
DE Derek Wolfe
To be clear, Wolfe is a defensive end, not an outside linebacker. But players at different positions interact with other coaches, so he certainly crossed paths with Staley in Denver last season. Wolfe posted a career-high seven sacks in 2019 with Staley on the Broncos’ staff, forcing one fumble and hitting the QB 12 times – third-most in his career.
If the Rams part ways with Michael Brockers, Wolfe could be a viable replacement – though he likely won’t be any cheaper than Brockers in free agency. Still, he’s someone to keep an eye on if Los Angeles is seeking help at defensive end.
OLB Jeremiah Attaochu
Attaochu played 12 games and started five for the Broncos in 2019, recording 3.5 sacks, five QB hits and 17 total tackles. He’s bounced around the league, from the Chargers to the Jets to Denver, with his best season coming in 2015 when he had six sacks and 55 tackles with San Diego.
He’s not going to be highly coveted on the free-agent market, so the Rams wouldn’t have to break the bank to sign him. However, he also wouldn’t be a surefire starter, but rather more of a backup and reserve player.
OLB Sam Acho
Acho played two seasons under Staley with the Bears in 2017 and 2018, playing 20 games and starting 12 in that span. He missed most of the 2018 season, but in 2017, he had three sacks, 45 tackles and a whopping 18 quarterback hits – the most in his career.
Acho, 31, spent this past season with the Buccaneers, but he only played eight games after being signed in November. He wouldn’t provide much help to the Rams, but if they’re looking for a veteran to help the younger pass rushers on the team, he could get a chance.
