The Los Angeles Rams announced that they have re-signed defensive tackle Marquise Copeland to a one-year contract in free agency.
The Rams originally declined Copeland’s restricted free agent tender, although it appears both sides were able to work out a deal to everyone’s liking. Copeland will now be back with the Rams in 2023 and should take on a bigger role after the departures of defensive tackles Greg Gaines and A’Shawn Robinson.
Gaines wound up signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and although Robinson remains a free agent, he is expected to be outside of the Rams’ price range.
Copeland has played three seasons with the Rams after originally going undrafted out of Cincinnati. In 25 career games (nine starts), he has recorded 42 total tackles, three tackles for loss and one sack.
The 25-year-old got his most playing time in 2022 when he played in 15 games and started nine of them, finishing with career highs across the board at 31 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.
Copeland will be part of a much younger Rams defense in 2023 with the departures of Gaines, Robinson, Jalen Ramsey, Leonard Floyd, Taylor Rapp, Nick Scott, Bobby Wagner, David Long Jr. and others.
L.A. still has Aaron Donald on its roster though, so players like Copeland should be able to benefit from playing alongside a player like him who consistently gets double-teamed.
