4 defensive questions Rams must answer in camp and nobody is talking about

As much money as the Los Angeles Rams have poured into the offense in terms of player salaries, it stands to reason that it was the surge of the defense throughout 2024 that lifted the team up and into the 2025 NFL Playoffs. While the defense seemed confused and ineffective to start the season, it was the tremendous effort that neutralized high-powered offenses later in the season that seemed to carry the team along a winning streak during the most critical portion of the season.

But its strength last season was the advantage of surprise. Can the defense deliver the unexpected in the sequel? Offenses have had months to dissect and diagnose what the Rams did to negate their efforts, and countermeasures are surely entrenched now. The question is just the tip of the iceberg. So what other questions are the Rams seeking answers to in training camp, now that pads have gone on?

(4) - Can the Rams secondary show up?

Even as the Rams are rearranging rotations to make up for the absence of veteran cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, the remaining defensive backs are showing up in excellent form. At cornerback, the team is getting starting vibes from cornerbacks Cobie Durant, Darious Williams, and Emmanuel Forbes. At safety, the same starting vibes surround Quentin Lake, Kam Curl, Kam Kinchens, and Jaylen McCollough whenever they step onto the football field.

And the pads have just gone on.

The secondary has made a point of showing up this season, buoyed by the tips and tricks shared by veteran wide receiver Davante Adams. And DROY Jared Verse has noticed.

This is the second season of DC Chris Shula's scheme, and fans have every right to expect huge strides. Due to injuries, the team was forced to swap parts and experiment with the secondary through the first two months of last season. Now, with a stable roster and continuity, expensive gambles from a year ago are paying huge dividends this season.

(3) - Is NT Poona Ford as good as advertised?

It's probably not a great idea to elevate the bar of expectations beyond what nose tackle Poona Ford can deliver. But here is a funny thought. What if we are all too conservative in our estimations as to what Ford can deliver in this defense? What if he is truly the keystone, the foundational piece to a defensive front that this young and swarming defensive front needs?

So far, it appears that expectations are coming in on the low side of what Ford can deliver:

There is no lack of laud, applause, and praise for the veteran. From DL Kobie Turner, OLB Jared Verse, and even HC Sean McVay, the praises keep coming. And it's just getting started.

Poona Ford is as immobile as a fire plug, as agile as a cat, as powerful as a locomotive, and as devastating as a tornado. Best of all, his presence shifts the attention of offensive linemen out of necessity, freeing up his teammates along a young and hungry defensive front.

(2) - What new defensive wrinkles does DC Chris Shula have in store?

The Rams defense proved to be susceptible to the run in 2024, a vulnerability that must be corrected quickly. But that has not stopped the wild defensive experiments from Chris Shula on his defense. While the first thought might be to power up along the front seven with big bodies, word is out that the defense is taking a different approach.

It appears that the Rams see the logjam at the safety position that may prevent seeing much of second-year sensation Jaylen McCollough. So, the defense is giving him snaps at swapping into the linebacker position on dime packages.

The Rams have every reason to get more McCollough this year. In a limited rookie role, just 335 defensive snaps, he racked up 43 tackles, four interceptions, one pick six, four pass deflections, and only allowed a completion rate of 64.0 percent. That is despite showing up as an undrafted rookie.

There will be no such mistake in 2025. McCollough is getting far more reps, no doubt to prepare him for a larger role. And standing 6-foot-0 and weighing 202 pounds, he has the size and physicality to allow him to be moved all over this defense. Best of all, he missed just one tackle in 2024, an impressive missed tackle rate of just 2.3 percent.

But do not rule out other players stepping up this season. One young defender who is already showing signs of a significant role this season is DL Tyler Davis. Unlike other defensive linemen, Davis's role grew significantly throughout last season, and that will surely carry over to 2025. The most fascinating aspect is that nobody is talking about him, yet.

McCollough is a safe bet for a significant role in 2025. Davis is a safe bet, too. But stay tuned, as the Rams have plenty of time to introduce new wrinkles to help the team succeed in 2025.

(1) - Just how good is this Rams pass rush?

If you had to wager on the Rams' pass rush before the Week 6 BYE, you would have had plenty of evidence to be disappointed. Nine quarterback sacks over five games is not good. The team had 14 quarterback sacks over seven games. By season's end, the pass rush had improved, but 38 quarterback sacks over 17 games were only good enough to end up as the 21st-ranked pass rush in the NFL.

But something clicked when the Rams pivoted to the NFL Playoffs. In just two games, the Rams amassed 16 quarterback sacks. That is as much or more than any other playoff team, and in half the number of games. So can this pass rush translate into better production in 2025?

All signs point to yes. The Rams may have emphasized strong run defense in the offseason, but they did not sacrifice any pass rush to get there. While Poona Ford is a stout run defender, he brings a stunningly effective pass rush. And the team swapped out veteran OLB Michael Hoecht for rookie sensation Josaiah Stewart. Finally, the team drafted a versatile defensive lineman in Ty Hamilton, whose athleticism allows him to line up practically anywhere along the defensive front for devastating results.

Are there other questions surrounding the Rams defense? Of course. But for every question we identified, the Rams front office and coaching staff appear to have a solution in place. So it's safe to conclude that as new challenges appear throughout the season, the Rams will address them quickly and effectively as well.

As always, thanks for reading.

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