Rams expect defense to take step forward in second season for coordinator Shula, pass rusher Verse

Now, going into Los Angeles’ opener against the Houston Texans on Sunday, it is Shula and Verse who are known quantities facing off against a first-time offensive coordinator and rookie left tackle, offering an extra wrinkle in what are shaping up to be breakout second campaigns for both coach and player.

“It is a different feel getting into the flow of the season versus later in the year for sure,” Shula said.

The 39-year-old Shula might have the easier preparation of the two, given his familiarity with new Texans coordinator Nick Caley. Caley was the Rams’ tight ends coach the past two seasons and also held the title of passing game coordinator in 2024, and Shula is looking forward to catching up with his friend after the game.

“He would’ve FaceTimed me last weekend, but we’ve been silent here for the last few weeks,” Shula said.

Verse has been tasked with getting familiar with Aireontae Ersery, a second-round pick from Minnesota. The 6-foot-6, 330-pound Ersery will be an opening day starter on a reconfigured offensive line after the Texans traded Laremy Tunsil to Washington in March.

To get ready for the matchup, Verse reviewed Ersery’s time with the Golden Gophers to get a sense of how he might play as a Texan. After his study of Ersery, who started 38 consecutive games at left tackle in college, Verse came away impressed.

“He’s a dog,” Verse said. “He was drafted high for a reason but also, he’s a rookie. Last year I was a rookie and the first guy I went up against was like, ‘Oh, I have to look back at college tape.’ You saw what happened with him. Anybody can make an impact in this league. He’s somebody I’m very keen on. I can’t wait to play against him.”

There is a strong reliance on film review to figure out the tendencies of incoming rookies, which in the case of Ersery might include things like how he comes out of his stance on pass plays versus runs. This can continue into the early part of the season, taking the mentality of “go visit that tape just to make sure,” Shula said.

For Shula, the film gives him a sense of how Houston’s personnel might fit into Caley’s system. Where Shula will have to adapt in-game is in figuring out his offensive counterpart’s approach to different situations.

“Later in the season, you have such an expectation of what they’re going to do out of certain things based off tendencies,” Shula said. “There are not necessarily those expectations you have going in. It is a different feel getting into the flow of the season versus later in the year for sure.”

A stout defensive front can negate even the best scheming, and that is where Shula’s unit is expected to make significant improvements in his second year. Defensive tackle Kobie Turner and outside linebacker Byron Young is each going into his third professional season, Verse and defensive tackle Braden Fiske should build on strong rookie campaigns, and steady veteran Poona Ford was signed in free agency.

Verse, in particular, is likely to turn his strong totals in pressures (77) and hurries (56) into more sacks after the Florida State product had 4 1/2 during his AP Defensive Rookie of the Year season. Shula said Versa is becoming more adept in playing within the structure of the defense, including knowing when to disrupt and when to allow his teammates to take the lead.

“He’s an elite player, and we don’t want to take that elite trade away from him, but also understanding when he can take his ops and when he can’t. I think he truly understands what the other 10 guys around him, especially the front guys do, and his job in the defense,” Shula said. “He’s also playing hard every single snap. … He played really, really hard last year and I think can continue to get better at that.”

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