7 FA ILB’s theRams should target this offseason...

7 free-agent ILBs the Rams should target this offseason

[theramswire.usatoday.com]

Cameron DaSilva


Inside linebacker was a major weakness for the Los Angeles Rams last season. Micah Kiser, Troy Reeder and Kenny Young all underwhelmed as the top players at the position, struggling in coverage and with missed tackles at times.

It was arguably the worst inside linebacker group in the NFL a year ago, which makes it a major need this offseason. None of the three players mentioned above should be locks to even be on the 53-man roster next season.

Free agency presents some intriguing options, though the top players will be out of the Rams’ price range. Here are some realistic options for Los Angeles when free agency opens this month.

1

Avery Williamson, Steelers


Williamson was traded from the Jets to the Steelers last season and played eight games in Pittsburgh, bouncing back nicely after missing the entire 2019 season with a torn ACL. he’s a high-volume tackler, making a total of 111 stops with the Jets and Steelers last season, while also breaking up three passes and recording one sack.

He’s recorded 15.5 sacks and 27 QB hits in six seasons played, so he’s also an adept blitzer in the middle of the defense. Williamson isn’t necessarily a three-down linebacker who thrives in coverage, but he is good against the run; he only missed 11 total tackles in 2018 and 2020 combined.

Williamson would bring a stable veteran presence and solid tackling to the Rams’ underwhelming inside linebacker group.

2

K.J. Wright, Seahawks


Wright is a player the Rams and their fans know well, playing against him and the Seahawks twice a year. He made $7 million per year on his last contract and given his age (31), he probably won’t top that number on his next deal.

Despite being on the wrong side of 30, Wright can still play. He was Pro Football Focus’ eighth-highest graded linebacker in the NFL last season (75.3) and despite missing 10 tackles, he put together yet another solid campaign.

He made 86 tackles, including a whopping 11 for a loss, sacked the quarterback twice and broke up 10 passes. He once again played all 16 games for the sixth time in his career, providing a steady presence at linebacker in Seattle.

3

Nicholas Morrow, Raiders


The Raiders tendered Morrow at the second-round level last offseason, which was a vote of confidence from the team. He rewarded them with arguably his best NFL season. He made 78 tackles, eight for a loss, hit the QB six times, had three sacks and broke up nine passes. He also had one interception and forced a fumble.

In other words, he was all over the field, though his 26 missed tackles in the last three seasons combined are somewhat worrisome. He’ll only be 26 when the season begins, though he’s still not expected to break the bank in free agency because he’s not necessarily viewed as a top-flight linebacker.

Though he could use some work in coverage, he earned his highest coverage grade from PFF last season (70.4). Morrow is certainly a player the Rams should look at.

4

Raekwon McMillan, Raiders


Morrow’s teammate in Las Vegas, McMillan, is also a free agent. He played all 16 games and started four last season, making 27 tackles and breaking up one pass. He played sparingly for the Raiders (14%) but a team isn’t signing McMillan for what he’s done in the NFL. They’ll be betting on his athleticism and potential.

McMillan is a former second-round pick and is just 25 years old, so it’s probably not time to give up on him just yet. He can run sideline to sideline, bringing speed to the defense, but he struggles with missed tackles (15.6% miss rate last season).

He wouldn’t be handed a starting job in Los Angeles, but he would at least add some speed and athleticism to a position group that could use some of both. For a low-risk deal, McMillan is worth taking a chance on.

5

Christian Kirksey, Packers


Kirksey was released by the Packers, so he won’t count against the compensatory pick formula. He spent just one season with the Packers, playing and starting 11 games last season. He made 77 tackles (two for a loss), broke up four passes, picked off two throws and had two sacks. It was a good bounce-back year after he missed 23 games in the previous two seasons, but he once again missed time with injury last season.

Kirksey missed nine tackles in 2020, a rate of 10.5%, and gave up six touchdowns in coverage, so he’s not a perfect linebacker. But he’s a three-down linebacker with good instincts and proven production as a starter when healthy; he had 286 tackles combined in 2016 and 2017 with the Browns.

For the right price, which might be around $5 million per year, Kirksey is a worthwhile addition for the linebacker-needy Rams.

6

Anthony Walker, Colts



Walker will be 26 in August and still has plenty of good football ahead of him. He’s started 46 games for the Colts in the last three years, including all 32 in the last two seasons. Since 2018, he’s made 321 tackles (18 for a loss), has six QB hits, three interceptions and 11 passes defensed, providing value in the middle of Indianapolis’ defense alongside Darius Leonard and Bobby Okereke.

But those two players are the exact reason the Colts may not be able to bring back Walker. They’re already deep at linebacker and don’t exactly need to re-sign Walker, which should allow him to hit free agency.

He can be a three-down linebacker for the Rams, though he shouldn’t be their top coverage linebacker in the middle.

7

Denzel Perryman, Chargers


Perryman is a one-dimensional linebacker who’s undeniably at his best when he’s moving forward, not retreating back. He’s much better against the run than he is in coverage, and although run-stuffers are no longer the preferred linebacker type in the NFL, Perryman can still contribute.

The Rams need linebackers who can come up and play the run behind a stout defensive line and Perryman can certainly do that on first and second down. He missed only one tackle last season and made 48 total tackles, three of which came behind the line of scrimmage.

Perryman shouldn’t be the Rams’ top choice at linebacker, nor would he solve all of their woes, but at 28, he can still play when he remains healthy.