Although the Los Angeles Rams may not have been involved in the kind of blockbuster deals they pulled off last offseason, head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead were able to address one glaring weakness going into the 2019 NFL season.
There had been plenty of hype surrounding the star-studded additions the Rams made on both sides of the ball around this time last year. Of course, their biggest acquisitions came on defense with the arrival of Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters, and Ndamukong Suh.
Despite all the talent on defense, it became evident that this group was rather generous when it came to defending against the run after ranking dead last in yards per carry while allowing a whopping 11 teams to rush for at least 100 yards during the regular season. As a result, the Rams’ brass made an effort to ensure this would not be the case moving forward.
Los Angeles experienced a bit of turnover after parting ways with three of their defensive starters from last year in Mark Barron, Lamarcus Joyner, and likely Suh. Fortunately, it is safe to say that they have since found some potentially viable replacements this offseason through free agency and the 2019 NFL Draft.
The Rams kicked things off by signing a couple of veterans in Eric Weddle and Clay Matthews. While both players may not be as effective in passing situations as they once were, they are still every bit the run stalwarts they had been in their prime years.
Weddle arrives as the clear-cut starter alongside John Johnson III in the secondary while Matthews’ position in the linebacker corps is expected to be ‘fluid’ throughout the season. He has played both inside and outside in his career with the Green Bay Packers. Their experience should help stabilize this defense that struggled to perform consistently amidst all the new changes that were made last year.
Los Angeles furthered the movement during this year’s draft by selecting Greg Gaines and Taylor Rapp, who each made their bones at Washington as bonafide run-stuffers. McVay has already indicated that Gaines will likely serve as the heir apparent to Suh while Rapp’s versatile skill set will give him an opportunity to etch out an integral role in Wade Phillips’ defense this offseason.
It is no secret that McVay’s high-powered offense has served as the identity of the Rams in recent years and opponents have now realized that the only way to contain their firepower is by keeping them off the field for as long as possible through an efficient run game. If Los Angeles can prove to be stout against the run this season, they will make it much more difficult for teams to figure out a recipe for success against them this time around.
