Can The St. Louis Rams Defensive Line Manage Without Chris Long?

Oct.14, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) looks to pass against the St. Louis Rams defense during the second quarter at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Yesterday, the official team Twitter account for the St. Louis Rams announced that Chris Long would only miss a “few games” following surgery to repair an ankle injury sustained in the Week 1 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. However, a “few games” quickly turned to 8-10 weeks, courtesy of NFL insider, Adam Schefter, which was soon followed by the Rams placing Long on the Injury Reserve (IR) with Designation to Return.

After losing Sam Bradford to another ACL tear in Week 3 of the preseason, than losing his backup, Shaun Hill, in the opening half of Week 1 with a day-to-day quadricep injury, it would seem as though the St. Louis Rams could ill-afford to sustain any additional injuries to key players. Considering Chris Long has started 97 consecutive games for the Rams and currently leads all players in quarterback disruptions over the last four seasons, it is fair to say he fits into that “key player” category. However, will the St. Louis Rams be greatly affected by his absence on the field?

The knee-jerk reaction would be that losing one of the top pass rushers in the NFL would obviously be a tremendous blow. However, considering the current makeup of the current roster and the manner in which the Rams rotate their defensive line personnel, that hit might not be as substantial as one would naturally presume.

For one, the St. Louis Rams just so happen to have another starting-caliber defensive end on the roster; William Hayes. Last year, Hayes graded out as the No.8 overall 4-3 end in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus, ranking Top 15 as both a pass rusher and a run stopper. In 2012, Hayes actually graded out as the highest St. Louis Rams defensive linemen, ranking No.14 overall among 4-3 defensive ends, bolstered by his +8.9 run defense grade (4th-best). At the start of his tenure in St. Louis, Hayes regularly subbed for Robert Quinn, who struggled earlier in his career versus the run. He’ll do the same in the absence of Chris Long, with the luxury of not having to face off against some of the top-tier left tackles in the league.

The downside of replacing Long with William Hayes is trading his inside-out versatility for stability on the edge. Hayes is the “key” mover on the Rams “obvious passing down” package, when the defensive front swaps size for speed on their interior, typically subbing out Michael Brockers and Kendall Langford in favor of Hayes and Eugene Sims. Do the Rams have anyone that can fill that role?

Well, it just so happens that the St. Louis Rams recently drafted an interior lineman who specializes in getting into the opposing backfield. Aaron Donald demonstrated those skills on Sunday, grading out as the Rams top non-special teams player versus the Minnesota Vikings, after recording four tackle and three defensive stops in 31 snaps. The “new” pass rushing package of Robert Quinn, Eugene Sims, Aaron Donald, and William Hayes, at least on paper, appears just as formidable as the previous grouping, with some added bulk on the left side of the defensive line.

However, St. Louis Rams defensive line hasn’t been able to sustain success merely by the production of two or three key players. Rather, they rely heavily on a regular rotation of defensive ends and tackles, altering personnel to fit different schemes, all while keeping their “starters” fresh. With one major figure out of the rotation, can the St. Louis Rams compensate?

That answer may reside in one of the members of the Rams 2014 undrafted rookie class; Ethan Westbrooks. Coming out of West Texas A&M, Westbrooks saw mixed reviews from scouts, with some pinning him as a potential early Day 3 selection, while others marked him (correctly) as a priority undrafted free agent. When give his chance to shine in the preseason, Westbrooks did not disappoint, racking up 13 pressures, 12 tackles, and 10 defensive stops in only 155 defensive snaps. That performance would slot him as the top graded 4-3 defensive end  and, more impressively, the second-highest overall defender in the preseason, according to Pro Football Focus. As a result, Westbrooks beat out Michael Sam for the final defensive line spot on the St. Louis Rams 53-man roster. While the preseason and the regular season are vastly different realms in the NFL world, there is some confidence in Rams Park that his performance was more than a mid-August mirage.

So, while Chris Long will obviously be missed on the field this Sunday, the impact might be lessened by the shear amount of talent on the St. Louis Rams defensive line. William Hayes, Eugene Sims, Aaron Donald, and Ethan Westbrooks will have to pull together to compensate for that loss. Considering their talent and the coaching they have received from Mike Waufle, that shouldn’t be an issue on Sunday.