Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey was able to make his debut against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 7 just days after being part of a blockbuster trade from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It certainly did not take long for Ramsey to make his presence felt on the Rams defense with a number of big plays during the 37-10 win over the Falcons. He finished with four tackles and a forced fumble while going toe-to-toe with All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones in the passing game.
The fact that Ramsey was able to play an integral role on such short notice is indicative of why Los Angeles was willing to part ways with two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick in 2021. Regardless, the All-Pro is hoping to pick things up on his end in the coming weeks.
Ramsey admits he is still finding his rhythm in defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ scheme, via ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry:
“I feel like I played OK,” said Ramsey, who practiced twice with the Rams before Sunday’s game. “I got to get in my groove a little bit more, it’s just maybe one, maybe two plays that I wanted to have back or play a little bit different, but I thought it was good.”
The 24-year-old added that he appreciates Phillips and the defense going with a more vanilla approach to help him out:
“Honestly, the defense was a little dumbed down for me, just because I only had a couple days to prepare,” Ramsey said. “I really appreciate the guys kind of going with the game plan because it probably wasn’t — I’m not going to say it wasn’t the best for them, because they went out there and they strapped, too — but just kind of appreciate everybody’s help these couple days I’ve been here, these few days I’ve been here.”
Ramsey is looking forward to building a rapport with the other members of the secondary while he continues to get acclimated, which he feels will lead to them being even better as a unit:
“I want to get in a groove, knowing my safeties a little bit better, knowing the guys I’m out there with a little bit better,” Ramsey said. “This game I really trusted in them a lot, the way I play certain techniques, but I want to get in a groove a little bit more with how I do things with this secondary.”
It is certainly encouraging to see that Ramsey is happy with Los Angeles making the necessary adjustments in his debut with the team. Phillips will need to continue finding ways to play to their strengths with so many key starters out on defense.
One thing Ramsey proved in his debut though is even when he is not at his best, he still makes a huge impact week in and week out.
