12 days of Christmas winners for the LA Rams in a Week 16 win over the Jets

(4) - DB Kamren Curl

While there have been mixed returns from the Rams investment into the 2024 NFL Free Agency market, one player who has met and perhaps even beaten expectations is former Washington Commanders safety Kamren Curl. The team wanted to get more physical on the back end of the secondary without giving up pass coverage

What Curl brings to this defense is a level of physicality without sacrificing Velcro-like pass coverage. And it's his pass coverage that continues to improve. Curl has allowed just 19 of 36 passes targeting his receiver to find their mark. While he has allowed four touchdowns in 2024, he has broken up eight passes this season. He has even recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown.

In Week 16, he recorded his first quarterback sack of the season. That was a strip sack that was recovered by rookie Jared Verse. The Rams offense turned that turnover into a touchdown.

Curl is new to the Rams defense and secondary, so it was never about becoming a Pro Bowler in 2024. But Curl has a much cleaner level of physicality that does not send his teammates to urgy centers. While his tackles are down, his forced fumbles, pass breakups, and pass coverage statistics show remarkable improvement.

Curl is a keystone for this defense going forward. And he is anchoring the secendary now, something this team has needed for some time.