St. Louis Rams Sign Linebacker Akeem Ayers

The St. Louis Rams have signed Patriots linebacker Akeem Ayers on Thursday according to the team. According to ESPN, the deal is for two years and only worth $6-million.

Ayers joins the Rams after spending the majority of last season with the New England Patriots. As a Patriot, he appeared in nine games with four starts and recorded 20 tackles, 4.0 sacks and an interception.

Ayers was an early 2nd round pick for the Titans out of UCLA in the 2011 NFL Draft. And no, Jeff Fisher was not the coach who drafted him, however, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams served as the Titans’ senior defensive assistant in 2013 and linebackers coach Frank Bush was also in Tennessee in 2011 and 2012 when Ayers was playing there.

The former Patriots linebacker could be a part of a plan to replace Jo-Lonn Dunbar, but at the very least, the Rams get a player that can come in and be good depth.

While Ayers may not have been a top free agent, at season’s end, it always seems like it’s the lower end free agents that tend to work out. Ayers feels like one of those signings. He’s a player that was drafted in the second round who didnt work out for a struggling Tennessee Titans team, and actually played well in New England.

Now we’ll get to see what kind of player the Rams get in St. Louis. Will it be the player who struggled or the player who played decent in New England.

According to Pro Football Focus, Ayers ranked 18th among 3-4 outside linebackers last season and had the 25th most quarterback hurries with 23.

The St. Louis Rams still seem to be in play for defensive tackle Nick Fairley who had a visit in the gateway city earlier Thursday and while Wisniewski reportedly visited the Seahawks there has been no deal.

After starting off the free agency period pretty slow, the last couple of days have been pretty busy for Les Snead and company.

Fun Fact: Obviously Ayers won the Super Bowl with the Patriots last season. On the game’s infamous play in which safety Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson, Butler subbed in for Ayers.

Next: Is Nick Foles the Future Of the St. Louis Rams

More from Ramblin' Fan

• Is the LA Rams offensive line already better off than it was a year ago?
• What is the most important key to LA Rams 2023 NFL season?
• LA Rams Bobby Wagner’s swag helped hold team together in 2023
• Rams Rumors: Who could LA Rams hire as their next DC?
• Raheem Morris met with Indianapolis Colts well into evening