LA Rams: 3 second-year players as potential Pro Bowlers

Defensive back

The first player on this list may or may not come as a surprise to some, but defensive back Jordan Fuller is ideally positioned to show up in a very big way for the LA Rams defense in 2021. He had an incredible rookie season, despite the fact that he had almost no time to prepare for the rigors of starting in 2020. It turned out that he was a key cog to the NFL’s top-ranked defense.

Los Angeles Rams

He was second on the team in interceptions, and that was based on playing just 3/4ths of the games in his rookie season. Huh? Is that correct?  Yes, it is. In fact, to toss an exclamation point on the topic, two of his three interceptions came against the arguable best active quarterback in the NFL today, Tom Brady. It was a good time to be Jordan Fuller because the afterglow from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game carried over to the following week when he recorded his third and final interception of the season against the rival San Francisco 49ers.

Some of the likelihood of getting a Pro Bowl nod may be based on sympathy over ignoring the very deserving LA Rams safety John Johnson III in 2020. Instead, the pair of Seattle Seahawks safeties: Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs, were NFC designees to the Pro Bowl last year. They were voted in together, a feat that has not happened since Seahawks Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor earned the distinction in 2015. It was a surprising honor for the 31st ranked passing defense of the Seahawks. Just as a side note, Diggs set the 2020 bar with five interceptions and 64 tackles.

In 12 games in 2020, Fuller accomplished three interceptions and 60 tackles. With the anticipation of the LA Rams offense being far more explosive and score-ready, there is good reason to believe that the Rams will face more emphasis on defending the pass in 2021. It’s also logical to presume that Fuller, with a full training camp and with a more muscular physique this year, will be more adequately prepared to deliver his physical style of play.

Fuller raised eyebrows in 2020 with his impressive play. He’ll raise the bar in 2021.