Rams tweets etc. … 9/14

Nate Atkins@NateAtkins_
They’ve played one game and still have a really loaded roster. It’s all still in their grasp, as much as it was before the season.

But some adversity is hitting early this time.

from https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-depth-chart/148710/myles-garrett-injury-josaiah-stewart-backup?utm_campaign=dhtwitter&utm_content=%3Cmedia_url%3E&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

…if we apply the “never waste a good crisis” logic we can find some silver linings. One of the developments to monitor will be how second-year EDGE rusher Josaiah Stewart fares in a larger role.

…

I wrote the following about the 2025 third-round pick back in June:

What if I told you Stewart was as effective as a pass rusher as last year’s third overall selection in Abdul Carter? They both led all rookie EDGE rushers in pass rush win rate, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), at 14.7%. This would rank around 22nd among all players at the same position with at least 318 pass rushing snaps.

It makes sense that Stewart’s role would increase in 2026 despite Myles Garrett joining the team. You can never have too many quality EDGE rushers, and Stewart does bring a physical presence whereas Byron Young is a straight speedster. The Rams did not shy away from using Stewart in all facets a year ago: his run versus pass rushing snaps were evenly divided and he also dropped into coverage nearly a quarter of the time. There is no stronger endorsement of a rookie than asking him to do it all.

In Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers, Stewart played 28 of 64 total defensive snaps. Garrett and Young were on the field for 40 and 47, respectively… In a small sample size, Stewart finished with the third-highest Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade on defense at 75.9.