Bobby socks ‘Hawks, Wagner will electrify LA Rams defense

Solid pass coverage

The LA Rams’ coaching staff knows that to have a successful NFL defense, defending the pass is paramount. For the most part, that responsibility has fallen to the secondary. In fact, the amplify the ability to defend passes, the defense often substituted a defensive back for one of the team’s inside linebackers. That allowed the defense to improve pass coverage in the middle.

But that also opened the door to the opponents’ running attacks. What the LA Rams need is an inside linebacker who can anchor the middle of the defense on run defense and pass coverage. Someone like… Bobby Wagner perhaps?

Pass coverage has been a huge vulnerability in the middle of the Rams’ defense. And while the team’s defensive coordinator Raheem Morris did what he could to bolster it via formation, schemes, coverages, and even blitz packages. But there is a huge upgrade from what a Troy Reeder can generate on defense versus what a Bobby Wagner can do.

Shoring up the Rams’ middle does more for the defense than simply shoring up the Rams’ middle. It unleashes the rest of the secondary to focus on the other areas of the football field. Safeties can play and cover deeper parts of the field. All-Pro defensive back Jalen Ramsey will not need to be reconfigured to give a struggling run defense additional bodies to make the play.  That could make a huge and permanent difference to the defense going forward.