The Los Angeles Rams announced that they have re-signed defensive end Morgan Fox and released defensive tackle Tanzel Smart.
Fox originally signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2016 out of Colorado State-Pueblo. He has 42 total tackles, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one safety across the 36 games with the team in 2016, 2017 and 2019. He missed the entire 2018 season due to injury.
The 25-year-old played in all 16 games in 2019, starting three of them, and recording 18 total tackles, 2.0 sacks and three tackles for loss. He became a restricted free agent this offseason after his one-year contract expired, but it appears the organization had no desire of letting him go elsewhere.
After the Rams announced the re-signing, Fox took to social media to express his excitement:
— Morgan Fox (@AyyyeeeMoFox) May 15, 2020
The defensive line was a big focus for the Rams this offseason, especially on the edge after losing both Dante Fowler Jr. and Clay Matthews. The team did bring back Michael Brockers as well as bringing in Leonard Floyd, so they, along with Fox, Samson Ebukam and others will be tasked with helping Aaron Donald get to the quarterback in 2020.
Defensive tackle became a position of excess for the Rams this offseason with Brockers coming back and the team signing A’Shawn Robinson to split time with a pair of promising young players in Sebastian Joseph-Day and Greg Gaines.
That led to L.A. no longer needing a depth piece like Smart at the position, which is why he was released.
Smart originally was drafted by the Rams in the sixth round in 2017 out of Tulane. He had 20 total tackles in 31 games with the Rams and now gets the opportunity to test free agency for the first time.
