Sean McVay is beginning to fill out his coaching staff for the 2023 season. With Kevin Carberry out as the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive line coach, McVay needed to find a replacement.
According to Dan Graziano of ESPN, the Rams are hiring Ryan Wendell as their new O-line coach. Wendell, who played eight years in the NFL with the Patriots and Panthers, has been the Bills assistant offensive line coach since 2019, his first coaching opportunity.
Wendell is just 36 years old, so this is another young hire by McVay. Mike LaFleur, the Rams’ new offensive coordinator, is just 35 years old, too.
Bills assistant OL coach Ryan Wendell is leaving to become the Rams’ offensive line coach, per sources.
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) February 9, 2023
The Rams also had an interview set up with John Benton, who was formerly the Jets’ offensive line coach. But they’re going with a different AFC East candidate by hiring Wendell.
During his NFL career, Wendell played 80 games, starting 49 of them. He was primarily a center, so he has a good grasp of the entire O-line operation and the offense as a whole.
He went to Fresno State and was undrafted in 2008 but signed with the Patriots. He spent his rookie year on the practice squad and most of his second season there, too, but he played 15 games in 2010 and became a full-time starter in 2012.
