Ranking the Rams most important 11 players on defense

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  • June 29, 2017 at 6:07 am #70545
    Avatar photoAgamemnon
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    Ranking the Rams most important 11 players on defense

    Even when the Los Angeles Rams struggle, they’re still known for having one of the most feared defensive units in the NFL.

    While the Rams hope to improve on their win-loss record next season, they also bring back a defense that can cause trouble against almost any team in the league. With a new coaching staff on defense led by Wade Phillips, the team looks ready to build on something most around the league were already impressed with.

    As the team gets closer to training camp and then the preseason, we took a look the eleven most important players on defense for the Rams.

    No. 11 — Ethan Westbrooks, Left Defensive End

    Perhaps the most curious decision of switching to the 3-4 defense is the lack of depth at defensive end. Westbrooks will become a starter for Los Angeles, which is a bit surprising considering nose tackle Dominique Easley has easily outperformed him so far during their respective careers.

    Westbrooks signed a restricted tender with the Rams in April, which keeps him around the team for cheap next season. Ejuan Price and Tanzel Smart, both rookies, could eventually replace him if either of them performs well during training camp and the preseason.

    Ethan Westbrooks | E.J. Gaines | Lamarcus Joyner | Michael Brockers | Maurice Alexander | Mark Barron | Connor Barwin | Alec Ogletree | Robert Quinn | Trumaine Johnson | Aaron Donald |

    No. 10 — E.J. Gaines, Cornerback

    After a dreadful and lousy campaign in 2016, Gaines looks to return to form next year. Especially considering the future of star cornerback Trumaine Johnson is unclear, a strong season from Gaines would go a long way for the Rams.

    During his 2014 season, had two interceptions (he had none last year) with fifteen passes defended (seven last season) and 63 tackles (47 in 2016) so if he can return to where he was a rookie, it would be excellent news for Los Angeles.

    If he doesn’t perform well, however, Kayvon Webster and Nickell-Robey Coleman could both benefit from increased playing time.

    No. 9 — Lamarcus Joyner, Free Safety

    After playing mostly as a slot cornerback last season, Joyner will step into a bigger role for Los Angeles. It’s well-earned considering he was a very strong asset for the Rams defense in 2016.

    He said he pushed for the opportunity to play safety and if he gambled on himself correctly, the Rams will hardly notice the loss of McDonald next year.

    No. 8 — Michael Brockers, Nose Tackle

    Three seasons in a row, Brockers has improved his grade on Pro Football Focus. Rams assistant coach Joe Barry says can’t wait to unleash Brockers, who he refers to a wrecking shop.

    With such awesome improvements over the last few seasons, one would assume he will only continue to get better coached by Phillips next year.

    No. 7 — Maurice Alexander, Strong Safety

    After he moved from strictly special teams to the defensive unit, Alexander shined for Los Angeles in 2016. While he played free safety because former Rams defensive back T.J. McDonald was more of a strong safety, he is more naturally a strong safety as well.

    With McDonald no longer in the picture for the Rams, it seems he will go back to the position he is familiar with next season. According to Pro Football Focus, Alexander was targeted once of every 32.4 coverage snaps. This was the fourth-best of 92 players at his position.

    No. 6 — Mark Barron, Right Linebacker

    Mark Barron continuing to grow in new hybrid role

    The former safety turned linebacker is a versatile player who, when used the right way, is both a formidable pass defender and a tackling machine. According to Pro Football Focus, Barron has outperformed all but two linebackers since Week 5 of 2015 in terms of defensive stops.

    Not only has he recorded nearly double the number of defensive stops of an average linebacker, he’s also on par with perennial Pro Bowlers like Luke Kuechly, Sean Lee and Bobby Wagner.

    The former Alabama defender, once a national champion, was a Top-10 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. While he originally competed with T.J. McDonald to become a starting safety for the Rams, he eventually transitioned to become a hybrid linebacker.

    Against his former team, Barron had nine total tackles and an interception against the Buccaneers last season. Later in the season, he had a game where he collected a season-high fourteen tackles. He’s shown star potential for the Rams but just needs to channel it more consistently.

    No. 5 — Connor Barwin, Strong Linebacker

    If one thing is certain about Barwin, it’s that he fits into a 3-4 defense much better than a 4-3 scheme. While he was a fan favorite in Philadelphia when he played for the Eagles, his productivity struggled outside of the system he had success with while working with Wade Phillips.

    Now playing for Phillips once again, Barwin could see a restoration to his impressive performance. Otherwise, however, he will be a fantastic locker room presence for the Los Angeles defense moving forward.

    No. 4 — Alec Ogletree, Inside Linebacker

    ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez describes Ogletree as “a free agent at season’s end whom the Rams badly want to extend.” If he can continue to impress, then he may become a big priority and focus of the Los Angeles defense. It seems Ogletree may have more of a future on the team than Trumaine Johnson.

    He is still young and has a bright career ahead of him with the Rams if they choose to offer him an extension.

    No. 3 — Robert Quinn, Weak Linebacker

    Even though Quinn recently had thumb surgery, he is expected back and ready for training camp next month. He struggled to remain healthy last season and played just nine games.

    However, when he’s playing well, he is one of the most dominant defenders in the NFL. From 2013 until 2015, Quinn was considered either a high-quality defender or an elite defender according to Pro Football Focus. Next season, Quinn will have a position change from defensive end to linebacker due to the 3-4 defensive system. Expect him to play a key role for Phillips.

    No. 2 — Trumaine Johnson, Cornerback

    If the Rams are going to make Johnson the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, fans can hope he will rise to the occasion and play to the title as well. After slapping him with the franchise tag in back-to-back seasons, Johnson still has an uncertain future with the team.

    While he was briefly considered trade bait, it seems he truly wanted to stay with Los Angeles. He isn’t expected to get a long-term deal but if he has a stellar season, the Rams can always change their mind and lock him in for the future.

    If Johnson leaves, the Rams will have lost nearly all of their defensive back unit once considered elite.

    McCleod, McDonald, Jenkins, Johnson, all gone……………

    No. 1 — Aaron Donald, Defensive End

    Donald is not just the best player on the Rams defense. According to Pro Football Focus, he’s also the best player in the league.

    While he has a bit of a contract holdup right now because he’s still on his rookie deal, Donald did not miss all of minicamp as some expected. He is a force to be reckoned with for opponents and one of the most exciting players in football.

    With new coaches waiting to work with Donald, expect his legend to only continue to grow in Los Angeles.

    I don’t agree with parts of this, but I thought it was interesting enough to post.

    Agamemnon

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