After a 16-sack performance in 2 games, how can the Rams D upgrade in 2025?

Rams have to consider these areas to improve in 2025

To get better, the team has to have a strong sense of where the team struggled. While that is certainly up for debate, here are some areas that the team has to consider:

Physical defensive backs

The LA Rams defense is spinning away from Mighty Mouse type defensive backs, and I see that trend continuing next season. The final Rams roster from 2024 boasts seven defensive backs who stood under 6-foot-0. But as the season rolled on, the team signed veteran DB Ahkello Witherspoon (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) and claimed DB Emmanuel Forbes (6-foot-0, 180 pounds).

While two data points are shaky at best to determine a trend, I see the team continuing on in that direction, if for no other reason than the tremendous versatility bigger corners and safeties give this defense.

Nose tackles

The Rams love the versatility of defensive linemen like Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske. But whether or not the spotlight gives full credit to blocker-gobblers on the defensive front, this defense needs those fireplug defenders who can hold their own against two offensive linemen. Perhaps the sole player who excels at that task but gets far too little credit is nose tackle Bobby Brown III.

The defense cannot function without strong defenders who force offenses to reroute running backs. Yes, a pass rush is immensely vital as well. But as we all witnessed in the 2025 NFL Playoffs, the Rams pass rush is rather robust. The team struggled with stuffing the run against a formidable offensive line.

To improve, the team needs to retain a core of veteran run stuffers, and I hope that the team makes extending Brown a priority in the offseason. Combined with Kobie Turner, the Rams defensive front can sprinkle in one or two more additions and have a formidable defensive front in 2025.

Inside linebackers

While the attrition of all three veteran inside linebackers: Troy Reeder, Christian Rozeboom, and Jake Hummel, could be problematic if they were all positive contributors to the defense, I hope that parting ways with the trio will compel the front office to formally and finally address the inside linebacker position this offseason.

I suspect that a returning ILB Omar Speights will anchor the Rams defense in 2025. That's not spitballing. That is based on the fact that he was one of the team's best run defenders in 2024. And with each game, he gained valuable experience to improve even further.

But that does not help pairing him up. With the team's embarrassing play in the NFL Playoffs (visions of Christian Rozeboom getting pancaked are still impossible to shake), the team needs to get a lot tougher next to Speights.

The front office may not view the inside linebacker position as a role worth investing significant salary cap dollars into for the second contract, but the team cannot deny the value of adding ILB Ernest Jones IV to this defense under a rookie contract. Now the team has an opportunity to repeat history, and the team is well-positioned to benefit from a tough guy enforcer in the heart of the defense.

Will the front office make necessary steps to upgrade the defense in 2025? The team has many needs, and limited resources to address them all. But as is often the case, the Rams front office pulls rabbits out of hats every year. 2025 should be no exception.

As always, thanks for reading.

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