Los Angeles Rams need Robert Quinn back to his best

As the 2016 NFL draft approaches, speculation is rife about what the Los Angeles Rams will do with the 15^th overall pick. In a little over two weeks we will know if the team will address a need such as quarterback or wide receiver, trade the pick to move up or down as they have done several times in recent years, or bolster an already top tier defense. 

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Over the last few seasons, a big part of that Rams defence has been defensive end Robert Quinn. Since being drafted 14^th overall back in 2011, Quinn has unquestionably been one of the league’s top edge rushers. He has double-digit sacks in three of his five seasons, with a high of 19.5 in 2013. He has forced a colossal 16 fumbles in his career, and appeared in back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2013 and 2014.

Unfortunately for the Rams, Quinn featured in only half the games of the 2015 season, with a back complaint forcing the team to place him on injured reserve. With the offense struggling, such a big loss on the defensive side of the ball must have been a factor in the Rams slump which saw them miss out on the playoffs yet again.

As we all know, Chris Long was cut after last season and will be playing football for (wince) the New England Patriots next year. Despite this loss, free agents William Hayes and Eugene Sims both resigned with the Los Angeles Rams last month, Quinton Coples arrived from the New York Jets on a two-year contract and Ethan Westbrooks remains on the roster as a valuable rotational player. While the Los Angeles Rams clearly have depth at the position, it is hard to argue that anyone on the roster is in quite the same league in terms of value, quality and impact as Robert Quinn. The team needs him back.

With the 2016 season still four months away, there is time for Quinn to fully recover from his surgery. Also of note is that Jeff Fisher will not rush a star player back early and risk making things worse – as he showed last year with Todd Gurley, who did not feature until week 3 of the regular season. Los Angeles Rams fans would undoubtedly rather see Quinn sit out the first couple of games if means a guarantee he will come back fully fit and ready to start racking up the sacks again.

The Los Angeles Rams are still a very young team, and accordingly the few established veterans on the roster need to step up and prove their worth as the franchise establishes its identity in its new home. Entering his sixth season, Robert Quinn must now fit into this category. Even assuming the Rams take a new starting quarterback or number one wide receiver in the draft, clearly the rookies will need time to find their feet in the NFL. The Rams will therefore need to rely on their defense to take pressure off the new young offensive starters. A fully fit Robert Quinn performing at the top of his game would be a big factor in this process. Rams fans will hope and pray Quinn gets back to his best.