Is 2022 training camp crucial for LA Rams Coach Eric Henderson?
By Bret Stuter
Three things that you can depend on in this life: Death, Taxes, and LA Rams Coach Eric Henderson doing what it takes to have his players ready to go in the upcoming NFL season. “His players” are the defensive linemen of the LA Rams. They arrive raw, but when he is done, they are coveted, knowledgeable, and capable free agents.
Even those players who either outprice themselves out of the LA Rams‘ limited budget for the unit or simply are not a fit for what the team wants to do, find new teams to play for. That should make folks sit up and take notice. But too often the results speak for themselves.
Whenever you talk about the LA Rams defense, it’s almost impossible not to talk about All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald. Well, almost impossible unless you are engaged in discussing the Rams defensive line with Coach Henny.
Rams DL is not about one player, but all starters
If that is the case, then you’d better be prepared to discuss all of the LA Rams’ defensive linemen. Henny will take you there pretty quickly:
"“Getting another year with A’Shawn Robinson who turned into the best 4I defensive end in the NFL and Greg Gaines who has become arguably the best nose tackle in the NFL…and with Aaron Donald. Greg Gaines and A’Shawn Robinson play like All Pros too. My goal is to have an All-Pro defensive front. Do that? We will have the number one defensive line group… ” – Per an interview with Coach Eric Henderson"
So how does he do it? How does Eric Henderson get so much from his players? Well, that’s like asking what is the secret recipe for Kentucky Fried Chicken, or what is the secret sauce to a Big Mac, isn’t it?
So, let’s talk about how this defensive line coach has managed to deliver some of the best defensive lines consistently. Because you would think that more people would be talking about it, right? Well, that’s the magic of Eric Henderson’s system. The guys who graduate to become starters are low-key. They don’t run to the spotlight. Instead, they go about their work, and eventually, the spotlight comes to them.