7 LA Rams players who must step up this season

Behind the shadow of Aaron Donald

The LA Rams had developed inside linebacker Cory Littleton from an undrafted free agent signing into one of the top free agents of 2020.  With that track record, is it any wonder that the Rams may believe they have more talent in the pipeline?  Littleton is one of the most coveted free agents to hit the NFL Free Agent market this year.

ILB Troy Feeder

Inside linebacker Troy Feeder has followed a similar path as that of Cory Littleton. He too arrived to the team as an undrafted free agent in 2019, and has slowly earned an ever growing role with the team.  In 2019, Reeder put up 53 tackles and two forced fumbles on just 298 defensive snaps and 309 special teams snaps.  Keep in mind he played as a rookie UDFA from the University of Delaware, and started eight games for the Rams in 2019.

Projecting that same impact into 2020, his tackles project over the 100 mark easily.  Beyond that, he will be returning for his second season, which usually designates the most improvement in a career of an NFL player. In comparison, Littleton did not see as much playing time until his third NFL season.

Reeder has flashed brilliance on defense, foreshadowing a dominating future for the Rams.  In a two-week period, he amassed 24 tackles, 16 of which were solo. While there is no guarantee he can sustain that high production, he stood out against division rivals San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. It’s clear that the market for Littleton will escalate rapidly.  But where Feeder may not excel in pass coverage, he may help the team beat on opponent’s running backs with far more consistency.