What is the Rams' plan at inside linebacker for 2021?
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theramswire.usatoday.com]
Cameron DaSilva
Although the first wave of free agency is already in the books, the Los Angeles Rams still have plenty of opportunities to bolster their roster before the regular season begins in September. There are free agents to sign, prospects to draft and players to acquire via trade, but the Rams have yet to make a single move at inside linebacker.
They haven’t been linked to any free agents at that position, nor have they been reported to have met with any linebacker prospects. That doesn’t mean they haven’t looked into adding help to the linebacker corps, but it doesn’t seem to be a high priority for the front office.
This has made some wonder what the Rams’ plan is heading into the 2021 season. Are they going to roll with the same group as last season? Is Travin Howard going to become a starter after he was slated to be one in 2020? Will the draft bring notable reinforcements?
All of these are very possible for Los Angeles, given the way its defense is built. Despite getting subpar play from Micah Kiser, Kenny Young and Troy Reeder a year ago, the Rams still had the NFL’s No. 1 defense. That has to count for something, and it’s probably why the front office didn’t go out and sign Kyle Van Noy, Denzel Perryman or Christian Kirksey.
As unimpressive as the Rams’ linebackers were at times, all had their flashes of potential. Reeder had a three-sack game, Kiser won Defensive Player of the Week and Young had a pick-six. That doesn’t mean they should be locks to play significant snaps next season, but the Rams obviously see something in them to deprioritize the position in free agency.
There are still players out there who could fit with the Rams, such as K.J. Wright, Kwon Alexander and Avery Williamson. All should come relatively cheap, even by the Rams’ standards.
But in all likelihood, Les Snead and the front office are waiting for the draft. It’s a somewhat deep class at linebacker, with plenty of athletic and rangy prospects available on Day 2. Jabril Cox, Jamin Davis, Monty Rice, Chazz Surratt and Justin Hilliard could all be options for the Rams in the second or third rounds, and all of them would be potential Day 1 starters.
If they add one of those rookies, it’s not unreasonable to think they could pair him with a player such as Reeder, Young, Kiser or Howard. Reeder and Kiser are better run defenders than they are in coverage, so ideally, the Rams would add a rangy coverage linebacker as a complement. Or, they could bring in a thumper to pair with Howard, who’s a former safety and has promising pass-defense skills. They have options available, it’s just a matter of which path the front office wants to take – or which way their draft board falls.
Regardless, it’s hard to imagine the Rams going into Week 1 without drafting at least one linebacker or signing one in free agency. They need talent in the middle of their defense and shouldn’t rely on the holdovers from 2020 to improve next season.
