Chargers OC favorite seems obvious after Rams hire Mike LaFleur
By Jason Reed
The LA Chargers may have the best offensive coordinator opening in the sport but they are far from being the only team looking to fill the position. The LA Rams also had a vacant offensive coordinator role to fill and did so on Friday by staying in the same coaching tree.
The Rams hired Mike LaFleur to be the team's offensive coordinator after LaFleur and the New York Jets decided to go their separate ways (with the Jets replacing him with Nathaniel Hackett). LaFleur is a product of the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, which has so much overlap with Sean McVay. Matt LaFleur, Mike's brother, previously served as the offensive coordinator for the Rams.
LaFleur was viewed as a potential candidate for the Chargers because of the coaching tree that he came from. However, no interest was ever reported by the Bolts, with Brandon Staley and co. going a different direction.
While LaFleur himself was not a known candidate for the Bolts, him getting hired by the Rams does bring some clarity to the Chargers' offensive coordinator search.
Zac Robinson has to be the runaway favorite for Chargers offensive coordinator.
Zac Robinson was already considered to be a heavy favorite for the Chargers offensive coordinator job and the Rams hiring LaFleur may be the icing on the cake.
Robinson has all the makings of being the next example of the up-incoming young offensive mind and the Rams very well could have kept him from joining Staley's coaching staff. There was always the possibility of the Rams promoting from within and if they did, Robinson may have stayed put to stay loyal to McVay.
Instead, with the Rams hiring an offensive coordinator and Robinson wanting to progress, there should be absolutely no hurdles in the Chargers hiring him. If Staley wants Robinson to be the team's offensive coordinator then Robinson will be the offensive coordinator. It is that simple.
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There are still other strong candidates (such as Robinson's fellow Rams coach, Thomas Brown) but it is safe to say that Robinson is very much in the driver's season for this position. Then again, Joe Lombardi was a surprise hire two years ago, so Staley could be in for another surprise again.