5 positions that the LA Rams will ultimately address via 2021 UDFA

We know that the LA Rams have a formula: grab elite players at key positions and then round out the roster with affordable talent. Unfortunately, the definition of ‘affordable talent’ has plummeted from the ranks of the NFL Draft to the undrafted free agents. And so, once more, the LA Rams must be very deliberate and strategic about their roster-building efforts.

In 2020, the LA Rams found abundant talent in the draft class at wide receiver, safety, and defensive lineman that the team was able to stockpile surplus talent at that time to ensure talent is available to round out the 2021 roster. This year, the team can employ a similar strategy to round out the roster.

Not that the team will have much of a choice. With six picks, the Rams will need to have their smartphones set to over a dozen names for priority free agent signings after the NFL draft. And after 22 UDFAs signed on with the Rams in 2020, 11 of whom carried over into 2021, the Rams will look to lock up another 17 or so UDFAs of young talent to ensure that they have tough choices to make when it comes time to whittle down their roster to 53 players.

LA Rams depth chart needs talent

Of course, the NFL expanded the roster of the practice squad from 12 to 16 for the 2020 NFL season to aid NFL teams in managing positive COVID-19 test results before game day. The same NFL/NFLPA compromise that resulted in expanding 2020’s practice squad roster has yet to take place in 2021.  Still, organized team activities (OTAs), training camp, preseason games, and the timetable schedule will all be up in the air until the NFL deliberates and confirms what will happen in 2021, and when.

So as the NFL owners meet at the end of March 2021 to decide those and many other choices yet to be made, the LA Rams organization truly doesn’t have the luxury of choosing other alternatives. The team’s roster needs another infusion of young talented players. And for all intents and purposes, the Rams will rely very heavily upon players sign after the NFL draft to fill those roles.

Special Teams players

The LA Rams’ need for special teams players is more pronounced than ever. And you can thank the shallow linebacker depth of 2020 for that. Now, that shallow depth at the linebacker position will be addressed. If not in the 2021 NFL Draft, then most certainly by signing undrafted prospects after the draft.

For the Rams, the investment in four to seven linebackers, both inside and outside combined, seems like a fair number. Of course, the pressure to churn out contributors for both the 2021 and 2022 seasons tends to drive up the number in my estimation. the Rams seemed to address the outside linebacker role via drafted players, and inside linebackers with the help of UDFAs. That may continue this year.

Cover team needs LBs

We know that the team projects to lose Troy Reeder, Micah Kiser, Travin Howard, and Kenny Young in 2022 free agency. That’s all of the Rams inside linebackers. So it’s probably safe to expect the Rams to sign that many after the draft. The team also stands to lose outside linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo in 2022 as well.

The Rams could find a healthy group of inside linebackers who may fall out of the draft. If Northwestern’s Paddy Fisher falls, the Rams need to fly the jet out to pick him up.  I like Auburn’s K.J. Britt, California’s Kuony Deng, Ohio State’s Tuf Borland, and Stanford’s Jordan Fox after the draft. Those are just a smattering of the talent that could fall to the Rams who could be immediate contributors to special teams.

Wide receiver depth

The LA Rams may not be projecting many losses from the roster in 2022 at the wide receiver position, but the team certainly will want to take advantage of the extreme talent and depth at the wide receiver position available from the 2021 NFL Draft class.

The Rams also need help with special teams at the return game. I get it that the team was forced to make do with running it back with the experienced Nsimba Webster in 2020. While the strategy worked at recasting the offensive line into the 2020 season, the return duties seemed to sputter throughout 2020, despite the addition of talented and speedy receivers.

That cannot be the outcome of the 2021 class. For all intents and purposes, the LA Rams could stuff the remaining post-draft roster spots with wide receiver talent and still leave plenty on the table. This is a deep and talented group. Is there ever too much of a good thing? We will certainly find out in 2021.  So do the Rams just grab everything in sight?

I don’t think that is the answer. But the Rams loss of 6-foot-3 WR Josh Reynolds means that they no longer boast a big body receiver. And despite the addition of DeSean Jackson, the Rams will certainly be interested in adding a fast-footed receiver protege’ to learn from a sage NFL veteran. Who might the Rams sign up? The list of players who might fall, and yet still be counted on to contribute to the roster, can include dozens of names. Don’t worry, we’ll crack that treasure chest open before the draft arrives.

Defensive secondary depth

The LA Rams promoted two undrafted players in 2020 to the 53-man roster and depending on how this year’s training camp plays out, the team could be promoting twice as many this year. The only two ‘locks’ on the cornerback position this year so far are the two starting positions: Jalen Ramsey and Darious Williams. Even the slot cornerback, likely to fall to David Long Jr., is by no means a certainty.

With the arrival of new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, the Rams will be playing heaving doses of Cover-Three, Cover-one, Tampa-Two, and a host of other coverage schemes to thwart what the offense throws at them. If early meetings are any indication of the type of cornerbacks that may draw interest from the Rams after the 2021 NFL Draft, the pattern seems to indicate tall and versatile as the two main features.

Rams need secondary help too

Like wide receivers, the depth at cornerback is such that the Rams should be able to sign multiple players with enough talent to compete for a practice squad roster spot, at the minimum.  For all intents and purposes, the Rams will likely need a minimum of three cornerbacks either during or after the draft to fill this year’s training camp needs, and perhaps a fourth to provide enough of a talent pool to ensure full depth at the position for the 2022 NFL season.

Some players who could be signed quickly by the Rams include Virginia Tech CB Devin Taylor, UCF’s CB Tay Gowan, BYU CB Chris Wilcox, Oregon State CB Nahshon Wright, and Texas A&M CB Elijah Blades. They are all bigger cornerbacks who not only have the talent to play defense but are large enough to compete for a role on special teams as well.

Offensive line depth

The LA Rams offensive, one of the deepest positions on the roster in 2020, will suddenly become rather shallow again in 2022. How so? Well, we know that the team is conducting a manhunt to refill the offensive center position. But in 2022, the roster suddenly appears very vulnerable at the offensive tackle position.

In that year, backup offensive tackle Joseph Noteboom will test his fair market value in the NFL Free Agency market. Whether or not the Rams see Noteboom as their successor at left tackle, it’s a safe bet that one or more of the 31 other NFL teams will see him as exactly that. Meanwhile, the wear and team upon the ageless offensive left tackle Andrew Whitworth may finally begin to take its toll. And the up and down production of right tackle Rob Havenstein may be on the downside once more.

The Rams face an even more dire situation in 2022 when the interior offensive line stands to be decimated by free agency. The Rams project to lose both current offensive centers Brian Allen and Coleman Shelton. The guard position will surely miss the projected loss of offensive guard Austin Corbett. And even the loss of reserve offensive lineman Chandler Brewer will be felt. All in all, five offensive linemen will launch into free agency.

Some names to keep on your radar for interior offensive linemen include Illinois Kendrick Green, Penn State’s Michael Menet, San Diego State’s Zachary Thomas, Wisconsin’s Joe Black, and UCLA’s Paul Grattan. At offensive tackle, the Rams could target East Carolina’s D’Ante Smith, Oklahoma’s Adrian Ealy, Iowa’s Alaric Jackson, Penn State’s Will Fries, or Wisconsin’s Cole Van Lanen.

Quarterback

The LA Rams quarterback position is anything but settled now. Yes, the LA Rams have traded away a lot to acquire quarterback Matthew Stafford. But he’s on a contract through the 2022 season. His projected backup, John Wolford, is under contract through the 2021 season. Behind them? Undrafted University of Virginia rookie Bryce Perkins.

The Rams need depth at the quarterback position, and I’m not talking about the duck, Devlin Hodges. There will be plenty of solid talent after the 2021 NFL Draft concludes. I like the size and durability of Mississippi State’s K.J. Costello if he falls out of the draft. He stands all of 6-foot-5 and weighs 222-pounds. As an extra bonus, he played for head coach Mike Leach, who I think does an outstanding job of preparing quarterbacks to play at the NFL level.

For that matter, Tulsa’s Zach Smith is a robust 6-foot-3 228-pounds and certainly flashes NFL starter. There are about 10 quarterbacks who are not ready to start in the NFL in 2021, but who could be signed and stashed on the practice squad to compete for a role in 2022.  Right now, the Rams have a pocket passer starting quarterback backed up by nothing but mobile quarterbacks.

Here is a video that explains how McVay’s offense is very quarterback friendly but complicated to learn. So it makes a lot of sense to bring in talented but raw college quarterbacks and let them learn McVay’s offensive system for a year before attempting to compete for a larger role.

The benefits are two-fold.

First of all, the process ensures that the Rams have a steady flow of quarterback talent to fill backup roles. But the other benefit? John Wolford was undrafted. Should he trigger the award of a compensatory pick for the 2023 NFL Draft by signing on with a new team for a healthy contract, the LA Rams have constructively manufactured a draft pick for the team.

The Rams are not out of the woods for the 2021 NFL season. Yes, the Rams return a lot of talent on the team from last season. And even with the modest, subtle changes, the Rams are certainly already deserving of inclusion in any playoff discussions.

But this team is by no means a slam dunk yet. That won’t have a chance of occurring until the Rams construct their full 90-man roster. And to do that, the team will need to have a guided hand to handpick the deserving talent from the fresh ranks arriving via the 2021 Draft class.