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Rams' coaching staff lacks defensive coordinator

Like everyone else in the NFL, the St. Louis Rams are living in a post-Gregg Williams world.

The team sent out a series of six tweets Tuesday, announcing its finalized coaching staff under new coach Jeff Fisher.

Williams, whom the NFL has suspended indefinitely for his role in the New Orleans Saints' bounty scandal, was noticeably absent from the list. Also absent: a replacement for Williams.

The defensive staff includes Chuck Cecil (defensive backs), Brandon Fisher (Jeff's son, who will be assistant defensive backs coach), Mike Waufle (defensive line), Blake Williams (Gregg's son, who will coach linebackers), Clyde Simmons (assistant defensive line), Joe Bowden (assistant linebackers) and Dennard Wilson (defensive quality control).

Asked to clarify, the Rams told NFL.com and NFL Network that, at this point, no one other than Williams will hold the defensive coordinator title. That might change before the start of the season, however.

The staff makeup isn't a surprise, since Fisher said last month it was unlikely the team would formally replace Williams.

"I've got Dave McGinnis on staff, Chuck Cecil on staff," Fisher said then. "I'll remind you that the playbook that Gregg has originated in my office, so I have a pretty good feel for the defense. At this point, I don't have liberty to say who is going to make the calls and the decisions, but it'll get done and it'll get done effectively."

In retrospect, the Williams hire was the first mistake of Fisher's tenure with the Rams, but it hardly was his fault. Williams himself had no idea he was being investigated by the league when he was hired to take over the Rams' defense in January.

Bad timing to hire a bad seed.

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