7 LA Rams players happy to help Donald carry the load

Defender 6: NT Gaines

The LA Rams nose tackle Greg Gaines has been one of the players for the Rams who inevitably will force you to proclaim ‘wow’ during the game. Yes, jersey number 91 has been a pleasant surprise for this Rams defense. The 6-foot-1 312-pound nose tackle from the University of Washington was a fourth-round selection for the Rams in the 2019 NFL Draft.  For his rookie year, he was infrequently included in their defensive rotation.

He had so much potential as a run stopper for the Rams from his Washington Huskies playing days. But it was clear in the off-season that the team needed more depth and better production from the defensive line, already one of the top in the NFL. The Rams needed a stronger and deeper crop of defensive linemen for the 3-4 version defense that defensive coordinator Brandon Staley envisioned.

Gaines is gaining ground

Gaines is only in his second season with the Rams. While he has not seen much of a bump in his playing time, he is making much better use of the opportunities he gets on the football field. Unlike the fire plug personna he exhibited at nose tackle a year ago, the 2020 version of Gaines gets after the running back and quarterback. He recorded 1.5 quarterback sacks and 18 tackles for the season. Those are both very respectable numbers for an NFL nose tackle, and Gaines is only on the field 20 percent of the time.

Would he produce more if he saw more playing time? From what he’s shown in the second half of the season, yes. In the latest three games, he has seen his playing time increase, and he is showing up all over the field making plays. He is a strong run-stopping blocker-gobbling defensive lineman who would love nothing better than to share a few more defensive snaps from his teammate.