How DB Jordan Fuller has transformed the LA Rams defense

The concerns that I have about Fuller in week two

I’ve spent the last couple of days, here and on Twitter, praising Jordan Fuller for the positives that he brings to the Rams defense and the good traits that he shows. I wouldn’t be a true analyst if I didn’t point out the bad. Fuller, as good as he was week one, wasn’t without flaws.

Sometimes, the angles that Fuller takes when pursuing the play to the boundary are bad. Fuller easily gets caught up in traffic and oftentimes undercuts the angle trying to make a big play and limit the yardage gained. According to the advanced defensive stats on Pro Football Reference, he missed 3 tackles. With experience, hopefully, Fuller will learn that the job of safety isn’t to make the big play all of the time, it’s to stop the play, so he will learn when to be smart about his angles and when to go all in.

Two tight ends can be problematic

The Eagles have a couple of big tight ends that will need to be defended one-on-one at times because of the speed that they have on the perimeter. Between DeSean Jackson and rookie Jalen Reagor, the Eagles have some serious speed that they can send down the field. Combine that with the size of both Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert, and it’s concerning because Fuller is going to have to be one-on-one with tight ends at times.

According to advanced stats, Fuller gave up 4 of 5 attempts his way last week, and 19 yards after the catch. It’s a little bit concerning because that’s another reason why teams were concerned with the 4.67-second 40-yard dash – how well can he hold up in one-on-one situations?

There are question marks heading into the Eagles game this Sunday, but Fuller came up big against the Cowboys and it’s hard to imagine him not producing against the Eagles. Armed with his smart play and reactive athleticism, Fuller will be an impact again and add strength to the Rams back-end.