Getty David Long of the Rams squares up Tyler Johnson of the Buccaneers during the Sunday, January 23 divisional round contest in Tampa.
Speaking to Heavy on Tuesday, January 25, NFL Network’s Steve Wyche called Los Angeles Rams secondary coach/pass game coordinator Ejiro Evero “one of the best in the NFL” in terms of developing defensive backs.
Wyche added how under head coach Sean McVay, he’s lost position coaches to coordinator elevations elsewhere.
Could Evero be next? Two NFL insiders mentioned his name as a future defensive coordinator for one AFC team that just hired its newest head coach and will now aim to fill the rest of the staff.
Team Just Named Head Coach
Per Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, sources have informed them that Evero is the leading candidate for the Denver Broncos‘ defensive coordinator spot.
“A name to watch is Rams pass game coordinator Ejiro Evero,” Garafolo said on the Thursday, January 27, morning edition of Good Morning Football.
Evero’s name sprouts up in the Rocky Mountains during a time the franchise hired Nathaniel Hackett as head coach, who comes over from the Green Bay Packers.
Speaking of the Packers:
“Now coincidentally, Evero’s name was mentioned for the defensive coordinator job last year. But that wound up not being the case,” Garafolo said. “So Evero is a strong candidate and a name to watch for defensive coordinator in Denver under Nathaniel Hackett.”
Evero’s Body of Work
The graduate of UC Davis has spent five seasons with the Rams.
From 2017 to 2021, Evero has placed his mind and hands-on coaching up the safeties. Here’s some of the notable highlights his coaching has helped spark while leading the safety lineup:
Topping off the backend: In 2020, the Rams not only held opponents to 16.8 points per game, but surrendered just 190.7 passing yards per game for the league’s best defense under then-coordinator Brandon Staley. While the Rams fell to No. 15 overall on defense under first-year coordinator Raheem Morris, the Rams still snatched 19 interceptions — placing them fifth overall but first among NFC West teams in that category.
Rise of Rapp and Fuller: Safety Taylor Rapp produced a career-high four interceptions this past regular season — including his first two-takeaway game against the New York Giants. Meanwhile, Jordan Fuller went from the No. 199 pick in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft to a defensive captain and snatching four interceptions in his first 28 games in the league. And two of his picks? That came against seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady.
TOM BRADY INTERCEPTADO!!!
Jordan Fuller intercepta o passe do QB dos Bucs sozinho, sozinho! #GoBucs #NFLBrasil
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Reserves stepping up: Lastly, Rapp and Fuller haven’t been fully healthy during the Rams’ postseason run. However, Terrell Burgess has emerged as a sure tackler and Nick Scott showed his range on this crucial pick on Sunday, January 23 in Tampa:
Nick Scott just makes big plays 🤷🥶
Hiring Evero Would Reunite Him With Ex-Ram
Should the Broncos lure in Evero after Sunday’s NFC championship game, this L.A. reunion would take place.
Evero would re-team with Broncos linebacker Kenny Young — who began the 2021 season as a Ram before being sent away before the NFL trading deadline.
While with the Rams, Young produced 46 tackles and 27 solo stops. He additionally included two sacks. But in his introductory press conference as a Bronco, Young mentioned how the Rams made the deal to free up cap space.
Ultimately, the Rams managed to score a trade with the most revered Broncos linebacker on that roster: Von Miller.
But an Evero hire also reacquaints him with his fellow UC Davis Aggie grad Hackett.