How well will Rams run defense hold up over 17 games in 2025?

2025 training camp and preseason Games

The Rams have the benefit of playing in three preseason games. That has been the case ever since the NFL and NFLPA ratified a 17-game season. Because this is an odd year, the Rams (and all NFC teams) will play nine road games and eight home games. To make up the difference, the team will enjoy two home games in the preseason. The Rams' preseason schedule is:

• Week 1 - Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams
• Week 2 - Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Rams
• Week 3 - Los Angeles Rams at Cleveland Browns

The team sits starters and key rotational players in preseason games. But that will be perfectly fine, as most fans already know who will start for the team on the defensive front. Where the real fun happens in preseason is seeing how the busload of young rookies and 2024 practice squad players perform in the weeks leading up to the 2025 NFL season.

I expect that the only defensive rookie to sit out preseason games will be Michigan OLB Josaiah Stewart. That should mean that ILB Chris 'Pooh' Paul Jr., DT Ty Hamilton, ILB Shaun Dolac, DL Bill Norton, DL DaJon Terry, OLB Jamil Muhammed, OLB Josh Pearcy, S Malik Dixon-Williams, and S Nate Valcarcel should see plenty of action.

But with vanilla play calling and rapidly rotating game rosters, what can and should fans key on? Sure-handed tackling is the primary key. The Rams need tacklers who do not miss, an area that plagued the defense in 2024. Fans can also look for players to shed blockers, penetrate the line of scrimmage, and make tackles for a loss. Fans can also look for players who are in a position to make plays, who make the correct reads, and move to the ball carriers seamlessly.

Yes, the Rams will face depth players on the other teams. But do not forget that many teams still subscribe to the discipline of playing starters for a quarter or half in preseason, to knock off their rust and help them ramp up to NFL game speed. That often pits the Rams' second-string against starters. third-stringers against second-stringers, etc.

A perfect example of this was the Rams' preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024. While the Rams won that game, the Chargers played defensive starters for the first half of the game. That may seem counter-productive, but many coaches view preseason games as scratch pads to work out the kinks in the team.

The Rams view preseason games as the proving ground for young players who hope to earn a spot on the team's roster.