How do you replace a god? That’s the question new Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula faces every day. That Aaron Donald-sized gap is perhaps the biggest obstacle to the Rams being favorites in the NFC, and for good reason. Aaron Donald regularly commanded double and triple teams and gave the rest of the Rams’ defenders the freedom to shine. He kept coordinators and players up at night, so his absence is a welcome respite for the rest of the league.

Shula and the Rams front office obviously know how to answer that question, THEY DO NOT! Replacing Donald is an impossible task and it is a futile endeavor to try, whether it was to get a star or to move up in the draft to get the best defensive player they could find. Shula’s rise in the wake of Raheem Morris’ well-deserved move to the Atlanta Falcons is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and one that feels like the culmination of his many years as an assistant to the Rams, as well as his relationship with Sean McVay.

When Coach Rah left, there was speculation that the Rams could sign another experienced player in the style of Wade Phillips, be it Vic Fangio, Mike Vrabel, Mike Zimmeror, in the worst of all HFS dreams, Bill Belichick. Instead, they turned inward and McVay promoted Shula to the confusion of many, not because he had a poor track record or reputation, but because he is essentially an unknown to anyone outside the Rams organization.

Chris Shula’s long road to the Rams DC

The outside hiring of Chris Shula looks like McVay promoted a buddy. After all, they played together in Miami (Ohio), McVay as a wide receiver and Shula as a linebacker.

Additionally, they are both NFL legacy kids. Shula’s grandfather, Don Shula, is the winningest coach of all time. His father, Dave, coached the Bengals, and of course, his uncle Mike was a famous footnote/quiz question, as he previously coached Alabama. Nick Saban.

Chris joined the family business in 2010 as an assistant linebackers coach at his alma mater. He served as an assistant at Indiana from 2011-13 and as John Carroll’s defensive coordinator in 2014. He moved up to the pros as the Chargers’ defensive line coach from 2015-17 before his old college roommate Sean was hired across town.

Under McVay, Shula worked in a variety of roles. He started as an assistant linebackers coach, then moved to outside linebackers, pass game coordinator/defensive backs and pass rush/linebackers. He worked under Wade Phillips, Brandon Staleyand Raheem Morris, meaning he is involved in every development of the Rams’ defense and is perfectly suited to lead them into their post-Donald era.

Shula’s unique challenge

Shula is so trusted to carry the torch that the Rams have given him a unique challenge. He’s not exactly working in a cave with a box full of scraps, but he also doesn’t have much experienced help on the field, instead tasked with molding the next generation of Rams defensive stars.

Last year, the Rams were let down by many experts, in part because there were no obvious STARS in defense other than Donald, especially once Jalen Ramsey’s Talents were sent to South Beach. To everyone’s surprise, the Rams found absolute GOLD in last year’s draft.

Kobie Turner immediately became a star on offense. With 9 sacks and 45 tackles, he probably should have won the title of “Defensive Rookie of the Year.” “The Conductor” quickly made a name for himself on offense alongside Donald and is now the captain of the defense. The other big defensive find in last year’s draft was outside linebacker Byron Young who recorded 8 sacks, 61 tackles, two forced fumbles and one ball recovery.

The two are joined by the highly praised rookie team of Jared Verses And Braden Fiske. Both have caused a stir in the camp and at the front, which also includes . Bobby Brown IV (in a year where he has to prove himself) gives the Rams a young, exciting pass rush. None of them can be Aaron Donald, but together they can build something special and unique.

Now, the one aspect of the defense that understandably causes fear among fans is the swap of inside linebacker and team captain Ernest Jones for a 2026 pick swap and a doorstop. It’s not clear why Jones fell out of favor or why the Rams’ front office handled everything publicly, but that leaves the starting linebacker corps of Christian Rozeboom and (GULP) Troy Reeder. There is no clearer sign that the Rams are not prioritizing inside linebackers than the fact that these two are in the starting lineup.

Reeder in particular is a figure that fans constantly haunt and irritate because he has never had a tackle he couldn’t miss. The Rams defense faces the possibility of being absolutely shredded by tough running teams, and even if UDFA rookie Omar Speights turns out to be the one who can dethrone Jones, as reports seemed to suggest, then maybe, JUST MAYBE, the trade makes sense in hindsight. Until then Les Sneads The philosophy of “doing the inevitable immediately” could yet take its revenge on them.

To make up for the lack of true linebackers up front, the Rams decided to massively overhaul their secondary. The unique twist on Shula’s defense is that they’re not relying on cornerbacks this year, but instead relying heavily on their safeties. Yes, they improved at cornerback by bringing Tre White back from Buffalo and bringing back Darious Williams* to pair him with up-and-coming cornerback Cobie Durant, but their real improvement has been at safety.

*Since the writing of this article, Darious Williams has been placed on the IR list.

Not only has Quentin Lake earned the STAR role that Ramsey once held (that’s high praise), but he’s now a captain. Sure, Ernest Jones would say that being a captain is no guarantee of longevity in LA, but it’s important. The former sixth-round pick from UCLA has quietly emerged as a major factor, but the Rams have improved elsewhere.

They stole Kam Curl, who was a complete unknown in Washington but was an excellent safety. He’s fast, can cover the field, and is an excellent tackler. Curl and Lake will also steal veteran John Johnson and rookie Kam Kinchens. Their versatility at the safety position should mask the weakness at the linebacker position, and as long as the cornerbacks can hold coverage, the young pass rush will have time to wreak havoc. That’s a tall order and once again leaves the Rams defense lacking size on offense, which could lead to moments where even the most ardent “FIRE RAHEEM” supporters will mourn Rah.

Last year, the Rams were questioned for their lack of stars on both sides. This year, the offense is supposed to be a blast to watch while balancing an anonymous defense. The Rams constantly surprise people and have the pieces to do it again. It’s easy to overlook this unit, with Chris Shula being viewed as the NFL’s next Nepo baby, no real star player on defense, and Aaron Donald’s absence casting a gigantic shadow. Still, 2023 has shown how dangerous it is to underestimate the Rams’ talent movement, and Chris Shula could be the next big branch on the McVay coaching family tree.