Random Ramsdom: Rams bring back a familiar face to the coaching staff

Los Angeles Rams News and Links for 2/17/23

LA Rams double down on DBs, re-hire Coach Aubrey Pleasant (RamblinFan)

“The last time LA Rams had Coach Aubrey Pleasant on their staff, the Rams secondary was touted as one of the best secondaries in the NFL. It was the off-season after the LA Rams defense was the top-ranked defense in the NFL, a fact that would result in then Defensive Coordinator Brandon Staley being lured to take over the reins of the LA Chargers.

There were plenty of changes for the Rams organization that year. Two Rams personnel execs would leave to take over with the Detroit Lions, and Aubrey Pleasant would leave to become the Detroit Lions secondary coach. Pleasant is a coach who holds his players accountable, sets high standards, and is adamant that they reflect the hard work from training camp and the practice field when they play on game day.

But Pleasant did not remain with the Detroit Lions. He was working with a new group of players, and the defense was seriously embedded in a rebuild that has yet to truly turn the corner. But as is often the case, the coaching staff needed to make an example, and Pleasant was released mid-season. He was quickly hired by the Green Bay Packers one week later, a position he held through the end of the 2022 NFL Season.”

Jalen Ramsey guarantees he won’t get cut, but traded? ‘Maybe’ (RamsWire)

“Rams COO Kevin Demoff was asked this week about the possibility of the team trading Jalen Ramsey at some point this offseason. He didn’t say they are trading him, but he also didn’t rule it out – nor did he rule out a trade of any player on the team.

Well, Ramsey isn’t denying the possibility of being traded, either. On Twitter Thursday night, Ramsey quoted a tweet by Bleacher Report suggesting landing spots if the All-Pro corner is cut. He guaranteed that he won’t be released by the Rams, but he’s not denying that he could get traded.”

Rams Reminiscing: Cardinals Coach Jonathan Gannon Credits Time in St. Louis for Arizona Hire (SportsIllustrated)

Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

“The Los Angeles Rams now have a new head coach to deal with in the NFC West after the Arizona Cardinals hired former Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.

But though Gannon now joins the Cards in a continuous rivalry with the rest of the NFC West, he admitted during his introductory press conference on Thursday that his time in the Rams scouting department when the team was in St. Louis is something that he credits for landing him his first gig as an NFL head coach.

“I was on the personnel side for three years and it gave me a different view of the game,” Gannon said. “It gave me a bird’s-eye view of how that operation runs, why the personnel and the scouts that are going on school calls are so vital to a team’s success because I did that. I feel like I learned how to evaluate players as I was going through that process.”

After serving as a defensive quality control assistant for the Atlanta Falcons in 2007, Gannon left the sidelines to head to the press box and work as a college scout in St. Louis in 2009. His role flipped again in 2010, as he began pro-level scouting for the team in 2010 and ‘11 before heading back to the coaching ranks with the Tennessee Titans in 2012.”

Rams hire former Washington Huskies head coach Jimmy Lake to coaching staff (RamsWire)

“The Los Angeles Rams have made some changes to the coaching staff this offseason and they’ll be bringing in another new face. While his role with the team is undetermined, the Rams have hired former University of Washington head coach Jimmy Lake to Sean McVay’s coaching staff.

Lake began his NFL coaching career as an assistant defensive backs coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006. He would continue coaching defensive backs with the Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions from 2006-2011.”