Re: About the ‘19 vs the ‘18 Ram D? I’ll keep this as simple as I can...

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Rams43
This year’s Fowler>last year’s half season version.
Matthews>Ebu at Edge.
Healthy Littleton >last year’s hurt Barron.
Kiser>last year’s Littleton on 2 down run D.
Peters>last year’s hurt/misused version.
Weddle>last year’s Joyner.
Healthy Brockers>last year’s probably hurt version.
Hopefully a healthy Talib>certainly better than the hurt ‘18 version.
Both Rapp and Long>their ‘18 backups for starter versions.
Gaines vs last year’s “regular season” Suh? At least a push. I’m serious.

In addition, I see probable more and better quality snaps for JFM and Day this season in rotation.

Like I said, improvements on D almost everywhere one looks, some very dramatic. Only possible regression I see is Gaines replacing “regular season” Suh. Dang!

I have only minor quibbles with that. My biggest doubt is the edge rush--they had pass rushers in 2017 (Barwin and Quinn) and in 2019, it's not at all clear they do (though Matthews is a former pass rusher). I don't assume it will happen, though if it does, I promise not to complain.

But what could improve them a lot is the secondary and DL. (Plus we forgot about Marquis Christian in the secondary...he's good and will see the field).

The DL not only includes the possibility of Brockers coming back better and one or both of the NTs stepping up, but also Donald being better because he actually will have gone through a camp, and so will not have the slow start we saw the last couple of years.

I also of course like what Weddle and Matthews bring in terms of teaching.