How well did LA Rams do in the 2020 NFL Free Agency?

New Faces

As mentioned earlier, the LA Rams were moving in a new direction on defense, and the team needed to jumpstart the learning curve at the outside linebacker position. The team was able to do exactly that when the team signed recently cut outside linebacker Leonard Floyd from the Chicago Bears waiver wire.  Floyd had worked with Coach Staley during their time together in Chicago, and was a selfless player.  He was a huge force in run defense, was good in defending the pass, and was able to set a hard edge.

The reason the Bears released him was the fact that the team wanted an elite pass rusher to bookend with Khalil Mack, and Floyd simply did not generate those type of numbers.  Well, he’s not having those problems for the LA Rams this year.  Instead, he has already hit a career high in quarterback sacks with 7.5 so far. He is nearly at his career high best in tackles as well. But most of all, he is the leader of a very young group of outside linebackers for this defense.

Small debut for a big man

Before the LA Rams were aware of veteran Michael Brockers’ return, the team signed former Detroit Lions defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson. The Rams detected a health matter with Robinson which prevented him from putting on the pads until the bye week. Since that time, Robinson has appeared in five games and had six tackles. Of course, that is due to seeing the field for just 74 defensive snaps. But he does flash awesome power at times.

The LA Rams finished last season with a record of 9-7. With three games remaining, the Rams are already guaranteed to do at least as well this season. Did the Rams do well enough in the 2020 NFL Free Agency? It seems so. In fact, the Rams frugality was likely one of the key reasons why the team has been so successful this year. With so little training camp to orient incoming veterans and rookies, many NFL teams simply bit off more than they could chew. The Rams had only a few roles up for new players, and have made the most of a very difficult season.

Rams GM Les Snead clearly knows his craft. Better yet, it appears as though he did just enough to get these Rams back into the playoffs.