Five ways the LA Rams strategy failed to deliver in 2020

3. Allowing the roster to be too thin at key positions

The LA Rams entered the 2020 season with 10 offensive linemen on the 53-man active roster, but only three inside linebackers on a 3-4 defense. And the team flirted with disaster at the outside linebacker position practically the entire year. The team could only coax three games out of rookie outside linebacker Terrell Lewis.

The situation further complicated as the team has to absorb injuries to inside linebacker Micah Kiser twice in the season. And outside linebacker Ogbonnia “Obo” Okoronkwo was injured for several games as well.  In fact, the team continued to add help throughout the season. The team signed linebacker Justin Hollins and edge rusher Derek Rivers to help with the pass rush.

That roster shuffling seemed to consume far too many resources throughout the entirety of the season. And then there is that continuity. The Rams truly were very lucky in 2020, as the team was only minimally impacted by positive COVID-19 test results.  The risk of losing players to positive COVID-19 testing threatened the roster all year.

But it was not until the Denver Broncos were forced to face the New Orleans Saints with no rostered quarterback that the Rams finally began to infuse unique positions on the practice squad roster. In fact, the Rams final 53 man roster was 24 players for the defensive side of the ball, 26 players on the offensive side of the ball, and 3 players with special team roles. 17 of the 53 players played of the line, either offense or defense.