Rams DL snap counts for 2020:
Donald: 865
Brockers: 624
Joseph-Day: 412
Fox: 403
Gaines: 201
Robinson: 111
Copeland: 3
Rams DL snap counts for 2021 (with projections for the full 17 game season at the same rate):
Donald: 365 (1,034)
Joseph-Day: 287 (813)
Gaines: 159 (451)
Robinson: 131 (371)
Hoecht (#96): 81 (230)
Williams (#92): 72 (204)
Note that Robinson already has more snaps thru 6 games this season than he had in the 8 games he played in 2020. He averaged 14 snaps a game last year and is averaging 22 a game this year.
I can't imagine those projections will hold up, but what is clear is that *everyone* is being asked to fill the void that losing Brockers and Fox created. And this is just a guess, but as the season goes on it seems likely that Hoecht and Williams will have bigger roles as they get more experience. Something has to give, though - I can't imagine Donald getting 1,000 snaps.
edit:
In 2020 the DL played a total of 2,619 snaps over 16 games for an average of 164 snaps for all DL per game.
This season they've totaled 1,095 in 6 games, an average of 182.5 per game for all DL. 18.5 more per game: that's another 315 snaps to absorb in addition to Brocker's 624 and Fox's 403!!
My first guess as to why the DL is playing more this season is that the defense is on the field more this year than last year. And the numbers bear that out. Last year the defense faced 989 plays (around 62 a game). This year so far they've faced 413 plays (69 plays a game). So 7 more plays a game, and just so the math works say 2 or 3 DL on each play - there's your extra 18.5 snaps per game this season
AlbaNY_Ram
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/2021 05:41AM by AlbaNY_Ram.
