Rookie Chris Garrett will be ideal teammate for LA Rams Aaron Donald
By Bret Stuter
The perfect partner for an All-Pro pass rusher
The LA Rams have sought the right partner to complement the dominating presence of All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald on the defensive line for years. In each season, the Rams have either uncovered a player who can apply significant pressure on the quarterback, or who can disrupt the running game.
Los Angeles Rams
Perhaps the best complementary player so far has been veteran outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, who has done an outstanding job of playing well at all aspects of the outside linebacker position.
Still, it’s been an Aaron Donald dictated defense. Offenses have simply mastered their strategy of locating Donald and then directing the offensive play in another direction. While Floyd has helped the Rams defense to get to the quarterback if the offensive line remains too focused on Donald (He had seven sacks against Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, a team infamous for committing 2-4 offensive linemen to block Aaron Donald per play)
Turn the beat around
Even with just Chris Garrett on the football field, he flashes an amazingly fast bust off the edge. When he came in to face the Las Vegas Raiders with the Rams behind by the score of 7-0, the offense had not gotten on track, and the defense was trying to turn the momentum around. Chris Garrett did exactly that when he tipped a 1st-and-10 pass by Raiders quarterback Nathan Peterman into the outstretched arms of teammate J.R. Reed. The Rams were able to convert that turnover into a touchdown.
While this was all preseason, this was Garrett’s first chance to compete against other players in the NFL. In just two series, he demonstrated the same explosiveness and game-changing ability that he showcased throughout his collegiate career. In essence, the NFL game of professional football is not bigger than Chris Garrett. It seems that Chris Garrett has grown to the level of the NFL game.