NFL players voted Raheem Morris as a top-5 defensive coordinator in survey.
The NFLPA surveyed players around the league, asking them who they thought the top-5 coordinators were ahead of the upcoming head coach hiring cycle.
The survey is part of the union’s broader report card project it launched last year, surveying players throughout the league on various topics related to their teams. NFL players were asked to rate their offensive, defensive and/or special teams coordinators. The coordinators were then ranked based on the highest average rating on survey results collected from players on each team.
Among the top-5 defensive coordinators listed was Los Angeles Rams coach Raheem Morris. Morris came in at number five on the list behind Brian Flores, Dan Quinn, Steve Wilks, and Aaron Glenn.
While not an official rankings list, it does show you how respected Morris is by the players around the league. He’s had some mixed results with the Rams, winning the Super Bowl in 2021 and then a down year in 2022. This season, the Los Angeles defense has outperformed expectations as the unit was gutted in the offseason and ranked 32nd in cap allocation. The Rams rank 18th in defensive EPA per play and 13th since Week 11. Since 2019, no defense that ranked last in cap allocation finished higher than 26th in EPA per play.
Morris should absolutely be commended for the job that he’s done this season. He likely won’t be considered for the associate coach of the year award, but he’s done a great job with the cards that he was dealt. The Rams defensive coordinator made it deep in the interview process last year with the Indianapolis Colts. He should be considered for a head coaching position again this hiring cycle.
It’s also worth noting that Rams former running back and tight ends coach, Thomas Brown was ranked as the second-best offensive coordinator in the NFL behind only Frank Smith of the Miami Dolphins. Brown was the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers this season. Neither Mike LaFleur or Chase Blackburn were included.
If Morris isn’t hired by another team this offseason, the Rams could have up to $70M in cap space. Snead will likely look to spend more on the defensive side of the ball and get Morris more talent to work with. Morris had done a fantastic job coaching up the Rams’ young defensive players, but with a combination of established stars and veterans, the defense could take that next step.
