5 reasons why LA Rams will overcome odds and return to playoffs

II – Rams’ defense did not get older. Rather, it got younger

I have read several projections for the LA Rams in 2021, and was surprised to read one which stated: “the defense is starting to get old“. Seriously? All teams get older as one year passes on to the next.  Meanwhile, the Rams said farewell to OLB Clay Matthews, OLB Dante Fowler Jr., ILB Cory Littleton, ILB Bryce Hager, S Eric Weddle, and CB Nickell Robey-Coleman. They weren’t young. In their place, the Rams are going with OLB Leonard Floyd, rookie OLB Terrell Lewis, ILB Micah Kizer, ILB Kenny Young, rookie slot CB Terrell Burgess, and second-year safety Taylor Rapp.

Now, where on this list of 2020 likely new starters on the defense are the Rams getting “older”? The answer is simple, they aren’t. Take the Rams defensive secondary for example. At the beginning of 2019, that backfield had starters of cornerbacks Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters, slot corner Nickell Robey-Coleman, and safeties John Johnson and Eric Weddle. In 2020, that same backfield is cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Troy Hill, slot corner rookie Terrell Burgess, with safeties John Johnson and Taylor Rapp.  Not only had the Rams 2020 starting defensive backfield scored better by Pro Football Focus, but the fact that the defensive backfield will remain intact for the 2020 season is a huge advantage.

The Rams defensive line is the only place on the defense where they have not gotten markedly younger. All-Pro Aaron Donald is rejoined once more by a long-time teammate and good friend Michael Brockers. And the move made Donald very happy.

They will be reinforced by Sebastian Joseph-Day, Greg Gaines, and veteran strongman A’Shawn Robinson.  The defensive line will be a key battleground for the Rams defense in 2020, and you should be prepared to witness a new and higher level of play by the Rams in the trenches.  The only true question for this defense in at linebacker, and we’ll focus on that area in the near future.