7 key players for LA Rams vs Bears on the SNF season opener

Edge rusher

While he started and played his entire pre-Rams NFL career with the Chicago Bears, outside linebacker Leonard Floyd did not hold back when facing his former team. In fact, it was one of his best performances of the season. He racked up six tackles, three quarterback hits, two quarterback sacks, and two tackles for a loss.

While he was a good edge rusher for the Chicago Bears defense, he played opposite Khalil Mack. In the Bears’ defense, he had to be good at everything, while Mack advanced his reputation by bringing down opposing quarterbacks. While he still wears the mantle of doing everything well, the Rams defense is constructed in such a way that Leonard Floyd gets his share of the shots chasing and bringing down opposing quarterbacks. And he responded by having a career year for the Rams.

That placed the LA Rams across the negotiating table with Floyd’s agent, and together they hammered out a multi-year extension to keep Floyd on the edge of the Rams defense for the next four NFL seasons. While some cite that as an offseason error, we disagree. Now, it will be up to veteran Leonard Floyd to prove us correct.

The LA Rams front seven has undergone a bit of cosmetic surgery in the offseason. Gone are veterans Michael Brockers and Morgan Fox from the defensive line, and Samson Ebukam and Derek Rivers are gone from the edge. Now the team must count on A’Shawn Robinson and Michael Hoecht, Justin Hollins, and Chris Garrett to step up this season.

Of course, Leonard Floyd will get where he was a year ago. Now, with a season under his belt, he can demonstrate why the LA Rams wanted to keep him around. And this is a perfect opportunity to demonstrate why.