The Los Angeles Rams went into the 2024 season knowing they would have to trust a young and inexperienced defense to take some leaps if they wanted to be competitive. Players like 2024 draft picks Jared Verse and Braden Fiske would need to play above their draft position while 2023 draft picks like Byron Young couldn’t face a sophomore slump.
And whether it’s luck, quality training, good drafting or a combination of the three, the Rams have had hits all across their defense. Verse and Fiske look like true stars in the making, while Young has taken a massive leap to become one of the team’s best defensive players this season.
Young is tied for the team lead in sacks with six and is second on the team in tackles for loss. And according to The 33rd Team, he is the best in all of football in a very important defensive category:
Byron Young is the only player to force 5️⃣ Turnovers via Pressure this season per @NextGenStats 🐏
Players to cause 4️⃣ TOs via Pressure:
– T.J. Watt
– Danielle HunterPlayers to cause 3️⃣ TOs via Pressure:
– Greg Rousseau
– Alex Highsmith
– Jared Verse
– Jadeveon Clowney
-… pic.twitter.com/0vP3YIZVXo— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) December 4, 2024
By creating five turnovers via pressure this season, Young is head and shoulders above some of the game’s best players. Pittsburgh Steelers superstar T.J. Watt sits at four, and he is a perennial favorite for Defensive Player of the Year. Danielle Hunter (4) and Jadeveon Clowney (3) are also long-time stars.
Another interesting addition to this list is Verse, who is one of the players with three forced turnovers via pressure. The Rams have two of the best players in the league in this category, despite the fact that they only rank 12th as a defense in total takeaways.
But even still, given where the Rams thought they might be on defense at the start of this year, these are truly incredible results. And it gives the Rams significant hope that if they continue to draft well and spend in the right places, they are not far away from being an elite defense.
Rams claim Emmanuel Forbes Jr.
The Rams remain in the NFC West mix after beating the New Orleans Saints on the road in Week 13, sitting one game out of first place at 6-6.
While the Rams have bounced back from a rough 1-4 start, they will need to finish the season playing their best football in order to have a chance of making the playoffs.
One area in particular that could use reinforcements is the secondary and particularly the cornerback position. With guys being in and out of the lineup all season, opposing teams have often exploited the Rams defense on the outside.
It appears the Rams are throwing a dart at former first round cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr., claiming him on waivers after he was let go by the Washington Commanders.
