Rams' Sean McVay hopes in-demand coordinator Raheem Morris will be back next season

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams have established a foundation for the future.

However Sean McVay understands the coaching carousel could take away one of the key members of his staff.

McVay hopes to have defensive coordinator Raheem Morris back next season, while recognizing his status as one of the more desirable candidates to fill any of the seven head coaching vacancies around the NFL.

“There might be some changes if Raheem gets an opportunity that I think is well deserved and long overdue,” McVay said Wednesday.

Morris has at least three interviews scheduled this week, as he is set to meet with the Carolina Panthers, Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks.

Morris, 47, went 17-31 in three seasons as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009-2011 and also served as interim coach of the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. A two-time Super Bowl winner as a coordinator, he turned in one one of his most impressive coaching performances this season as the Rams overhauled their defense to rely on youngsters and low-cost free agents around superstar defensive lineman Aaron Donald.

“It’d be so bittersweet because he is such a special leader and so deserving of an opportunity to lead a team,” McVay said. “But if we do lose Raheem, there will be a very patient, thorough and deliberate process.”

McVay said the only potential changes to the coaching staff would come from external opportunities. One such move came on Monday when respected defensive line coach Eric Henderson took the co-defensive coordinator position at Southern California.

“Obviously, there could be some chips that end up falling in place, relative to Raheem getting an opportunity to be a head coach,” McVay said.

Otherwise, McVay’s focus will be on improving a roster that defied external expectations to go 10-7 in the regular season before losing 24-23 to the Detroit Lions on Sunday in an NFC wild-card playoff game.

“We’ll have some resources like draft capital and some flexibility to be able to add some players or re-sign some that wasn’t afforded to us last year, and so I’m really excited and motivated,” McVay said.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford has already pledged to return for his fourth season in Los Angeles, and McVay expects the team to match that promise.

“Absolutely, unequivocally yes,” McVay added. “We’re ready to go, he’s ready to go, and couldn’t be more committed to having him lead us next year.”

Stafford could have a different backup next season. Fourth-round draft pick Stetson Bennett was ticketed for that role, but spent the season on the non-football injury/illness list. McVay said it was too soon to know if the former Georgia star would be available to participate in offseason workouts.

“I think he’s doing better, but I wouldn’t be in a position to answer that accurately right now,” McVay said.

McVay did confirm that tight end Tyler Higbee tore his ACL and MCL late in the loss to the Lions, making it reasonable to expect he could start next season on the physically unable to perform list.

Breakout running back Kyren Williams underwent surgery on Tuesday for a broken bone in his hand. McVay was waiting to find out if any other players would need offseason procedures, having had to push back his exit interview with reporters one day because of illness.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL