The job isn’t done for LA Rams defensive back Jordan Fuller

The fact is that LA Rams starting defensive back Jordan Fuller has been an overwhelming surprise for the team may be a bit too much, but it’s close in terms of finding a safety who can start for the Rams defense with the 199th pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. The next hurdle is keeping him on the field.

He missed four games in his rookie season with a nagging shoulder injury. In 2021, he played all 17 games but had his ankle stepped on in the last game of the season by San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Alex Mack. That injury was so severe that it required surgery, forcing the young former Buckeye to miss the NFL Playoffs.

The same NFL Playoffs that saw LA Rams veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford go on a four-game winning streak, the first postseason victories of his career, to lead the LA Rams to a win in Super Bowl LVI. Jordan Fuller earned his Super Bowl ring, but he didn’t earn it on the football field. For that reason, the job is not done.

Jordan Fuller is finding his way back

So far, the season seems far away from the third-year starting defensive back. Right now, the immediate goal is getting back onto the football field. He’s had offseason surgery on his ankle, yes. But the LA Rams season ended in late February, which pushed the timetable of his recovery back a bit. You see, getting injured on January 9, 2022, has placed the rehab into OTAs.

So far, both Jordan Fuller and TE/WR Jacob Harris are working their way back. And if he stays on track, he will be ready to put on the pads. But this will be a new season, how will it change for Fuller?

For starters, look for veteran inside linebacker Bobby Wagner to be wearing the green dot. That itself should free up Fuller to focus on coverages and the secondary. His snap count ran at 1,029 defensive snaps and allowed him to top the team with 113 tackles and one interception. While he only broke up four passes, he did manage to thwart opposing quarterbacks by allowing only 66.7 percent of passes targeting him to find their mark.

Job’s not done

How will the Rams step up this year? With a strong middle of the defense presence, Fuller will be able to direct more attention to pass defense, which is absolutely his strong suit. That will depend upon how well a combination of Ernest Jones / Bobby Wagner defends the middle, of course, but I’m optimistic there.

Even though the LA Rams won Super Bowl LVI, the job is not done for Jordan Fuller and the dozen or so players who had to watch their teammates from the sidelines or the comfort of their homes due to injury.

Winning a Super Bowl ring is always a highlight for any professional football player. But earning a ring by playing in the game that decides who emerges the victor is a different thrill altogether. That is what third-year defensive back Jordan Fuller is looking for this year. Here’s hoping he finds what he is looking for.