Did LA Rams ILB Troy Reeder play himself into a starting role for 2021?

LA Rams Reeder shows true grit

But he didn’t cave. In fact, I began to respect Troy Reeder as a result. Yes, in some games he was difficult to watch. But when it was all on the line, Troy Reeder was making big plays. At 6-foot-3 and 245-pounds, I wanted so much for Reeder to flash brilliance, and still do. But until the 2020 NFL season, Reeder was simply not capable of doing so.

But he handled his business against the New England Patriots Not just by playing the entire game but playing it at a very high level.

Even in his forgettable game against the Jets, he made plays. And that carried over into the NFL playoffs. He showed up big in pass defense against the Green Bay Packers. That’s from a player who screwed up sometimes. He’s not perfect by any means. But he is improving at a rapid pace. In fact, he’s rapidly creating a good case for a starting role in 2021.

Now don’t rush to the comments section and blast me unnecessarily. The fact is that Troy Reeder was last off the bench and the LA Rams were 4-3 with him starting on the field. The Rams were 1-1 in his two starts in the 2020 NFL playoffs. It was apparent that the LA Rams rush defense was a vulnerability against the Green Bay Packers, and that several key plays for the Jets offensive drives were successful thanks to an out-of-position Reeder.