Johnson Eager to Keep DL as Rams' Strength

Johnson Eager to Keep DL as Rams' Strength

By Myles Simmons

If there is any one of the Rams new position coaches with plenty to smile about, it’s Bill Johnson. As the new defensive line coach, Johnson’s taking over the group largely considered the club’s best strength over the last few years.

As a longtime NFL defensive line coach, Johnson plans on having his experience only enhance what’s already in place.

“We’ve been evaluating these guys for the last number of days and they’re really fun to watch,” Johnson said in a recent interview with therams.com. “I feel like it’s a privilege to be able to work with these guys, and see if maybe some of this experience can help one or two of them. But I think it’s a strong nucleus of this football team and that’s what we plan on keeping it that way.”

Johnson is coming off an eight-year stint as New Orleans’ defensive line coach, where he — like offensive line coach Aaron Kromer — was part of the staff to win Super Bowl XLIV. Prior to that, he held the same position for the Broncos and Falcons, coaching with defensive coordinator Wade Phillips in Atlanta in 2002 and 2003. The familiarity with Phillips was part of what drew Johnson to join head coach Sean McVay’s staff in Los Angeles.

“Tn the NFL circles, you get to talk to a lot of people,” Johnson said. “And, obviously, Sean’s had a good reputation the last number of years and I sort of knew that he was on track. Age really doesn’t have anything to do with it. It’s knowledge and production — that’s the whole thing in this business.

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