LA Rams: For defensive back David Long Jr., it’s go time

When you ponder the LA Rams secondary, you might be a bit concerned when you consider the state of the pass defense for the 2021 NFL season. After all, the Rams lost both safety John Johnson III and cornerback Troy Hill to NFL Free Agency, where both were scooped up by the Cleveland Browns. Now, while the Browns try to arrange their defensive backs that allow the team to deploy their best, the Rams must try to backfill the void left in their wake.

While John Johnson III was certainly the greater loss of the two, the Rams’ good fortune of stealing starting defensive back Jordan Fuller in the sixth-round of the 2020 NFL Draft truly set up the Rams to start either Taylor Rapp or Terrell Burgess this year, and feel confident that they will be able to play well enough.  Ironically, it’s the exodus of Hill that may be more problematic to fill.

Well, if you overlook LA Rams’ third-year veteran defensive back David Long Jr., that is. If you recall, Long was drafted with a lot of fanfare and excitement with the 79th pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. The former Michigan Wolverine stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 196 pounds,  and had a tremendous reputation for shutting down receivers when he played college football. Unfortunately, from the moment he arrived on the Rams roster, no such dominating heroics have developed.

It’s go-time!

Los Angeles Rams

That is not to say that he’s warmed the bench. Over the past two seasons, he had been rotated onto the field often enough to get 109 defensive snaps in 2019, and 116 snaps in 2020. He even started in the game against the Miami Dolphins, a game where the Rams defense confused the Miami offense all day.  The trouble was, he played behind some of the best defensive backs in the NFL, and it’s tough to earn snaps that result in their taking a seat on the bench.

Still, with Troy Hill gone this year, it’s go-time for David Long Jr.! Both Hill and Long stand 5-foot-11, and Long actually outweighed Hill by some 13  pounds, 196-pounds to 183-pounds. The similarities do not stop there, as both are excellent defensive backs who tend to perform a bit better in zone defense than straight-up man, and both must overcome their height and length limits.

As the Rams audition all of the new faces, it’s veteran David Long Jr. who will need to showcase his ability to function in unison with the other starters whenever he takes the field. The LA Rams have invested heavily in raw athleticism this year, but the keyword is raw. Long Jr. is already a finished product, and he must perform with flawless precision. He’s had two years of NFL experience, and he will need to use that experience to earn the third defensive back slot on the defense. After that, he needs to play hardnosed physical football.

Can he pull it all together this season? Many defensive backs have made huge strides in their third season, and there is no reason to believe that LA Rams defensive back David Long Jr. will be any different. It’s now or never for the young man. In other words: It’s go-time!