LA Rams Darious Williams leads defensive backs competition

LA Rams DB Williams heads a very competitive defensive backfield

The LA Rams have a surprisingly deep and talented group of players in their defensive backfield. Surprisingly, because the team traded away two household names in 2019 in Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters.  Deep because the LA Rams boast 16 players. Talented because all 16 players have valid reasons to expect playing time in 2020.

When planning for the new season, we had anticipated that the starting defensive backfield for the LA Rams would be 6-foot-1 208-pound cornerback Jalen Ramsey, 6-foot-0 208-pound safety Taylor Rapp, 6-foot-0 209-pound safety John Johnson, and 5-foot-11 183-pound cornerback Troy Hill. In fact, we had compared them to North America’s big game rams, all but sealing them as the four starters.

Darious Williams pleasant surprise

While Troy Hill started nine games for the Rams, newcomer cornerback Darious Williams started in three games for the Rams and played very well. The 5-foot-9 187-pound Williams was originally signed after the 2018 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens.  When the Ravens released Williams, the LA Rams claimed him off waivers in October 2018.  It was likely Williams play which allowed the Rams to make the financial reason not to renew the contract of slot cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman.

And yes, Williams knows how to play.

In addition to the five defensive backs discussed already, the LA Rams have returning veterans David Long Jr, Dont’e Deayon, Nick Scott, Jake Gervase, and Adonis Alexander.  To the group, the LA Rams drafted hybrid defensive backs, Terrell Burgess and Jordan Fuller.  Finally, the team added JuJu Hughes, Dayan Ghanwoloku, Tyrique McGhee, and Levonta Taylor after the draft.

That’s 16 players from a group where the Rams have carried 12 into the regular season.  Who stays and who goes?  That’s a decision for another day.  But the LA Rams have one of the most underrated defensive backfields in the NFL.