Would FA OLB Kyle Van Noy make sense in LA Rams defense?

Sometimes it makes sense to fill a position by adding a player from the NFL Draft. Sometimes it makes sense to add a veteran to fill a position. In the case of the LA Rams needing to fill a second outside linebacker position to help lock down their pass rush for 2022, it could make complete sense for the team to consider signing the likes of just-released New England Patriots outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy.

Why? Well, there are a number of good reasons. For starters, he was just released by the New England Patriots.  And he is as dependable of a starter as they come. But there are more reasons to keep his name on the radar.

Right now the LA Rams are making a solid push to sign veteran outside linebacker Von Miller. Even with the entire organization behind the attempt to extend him, the odds are about a 50/50 chance of re-signing him to the roster.  Unlike many teams that can scoop up all of the abundant young talent at the edge position in the Draft class of 2022, the LA Rams do not have the time frame to develop starters over the next two or three seasons.

The LA Rams window to defend the NFL Championship is now. If the organization cannot re-sign Miller, there are few alternatives to restocking their pass rush. One option could be re-signing outside linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. to the defense. Now, the Rams may have a second option in the availability of Van Noy.

A feasible Plan B at OLB

Kyle Van Noy is a veteran of eight NFL seasons and is the former teammate of both quarterback Matthew Stafford and defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson. Much like many of the outside linebackers who have excelled for the LA Rams in the past (Dante Fowler Jr., Leonard Floyd), Van Noy is competent at the fundamentals of the edge position. While he has been a bargain so far in terms of his production exceeding his contract price (with the exception of his 2020 contract with the Miami Dolphins of over $15.5 million), he has yet to achieve seven or more quarterback sacks in the same season.

Just to remind readers, Leonard Floyd jumped from less than five quarterback sacks per year with the Chicago Bears to averaging 10 QB sacks per year for the LA Rams. A similar transformation occurred with Dante Fowler Jr., whose production plummeted after signing on with the Atlanta Falcons.

Van Noy is still young enough to offer significant value to the LA Rams defense, he is fundamentally sound in his pass rush, setting the edge, run defense, and his pass defense. Perhaps most of all, he should be the far more affordable option for the LA Rams if negotiations with Von Miller go poorly.

Ideally, the LA Rams would love to have Von Miller return. But if his heart is set on signing elsewhere, the Rams could do worse than being awarded a Round 3 compensatory draft pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and signing Kyle Van Noy to take over.

Stay tuned…