Ramblin' Fan
FanSided

It only took 1 move in the offseason to stop losing sleep over Rams' secondary

The Rams are confident in the secondary. And here's why you can be too
ByBret Stuter|
Miami Dolphins Jalen Ramsey v Los Angeles Rams Puka Nacua
Miami Dolphins Jalen Ramsey v Los Angeles Rams Puka Nacua | Michael Owens/GettyImages
3 of 4

How far have the Rams come in a year?

First impressions make lasting impressions, and so it was for the Rams' secondary when it came to the early performances of the 2024 NFL season. Whether it was Arizona Cardinals rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. or San Francisco 49ers veteran wide receiver Jauan Jennings, the Rams' secondary seemed to set the stage for season-high performances.

And those early box scores were burned into the memories of Rams fans. But the secondary did play better as the season wore on. How do I know? It was the tale of the tape. Cardinals rookie WR Marvin Harrison Jr. caught four of eight passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns in the first meeting of the teams. He caught six of 10 passes for 96 yards and no touchdowns in the rematch.

Likewise, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings caught 11 of 12 passes for 175 yards and three touchdowns in the first meeting between the two teams. But in the rematch, the Rams' secondary shut down Jennings to just two catches in nine targets for 31 yards and no touchdowns.

So it was clear that this secondary was able to make positive changes throughout last season. But wait, there's more...

I continue to repeat the Rams' secondary performance in the NFL Playoffs, because that is when the Rams' defensive strategy truly began to shine through. The Rams recorded a phenomenal 16 quarterback sacks over two postseason contests. And the Rams allowed just 288 net passing yards over the two games, averaging just 144 net passing yards per game.

That was against two of the top offenses in the NFL. The Rams' pass defense shouldered a tremendous effort and handled it well. And yet, there is even more to boast about this Rams secondary. What is it? Take a look at the depth chart below:

  • LCB - Darious Williams, Cobie Durant, Cam Lampkin
  • SS* - Kamren Curl, Jaylen McCollough, Malik Dixon-Williams
  • FS* - Kamren Kinchens, Tanner Ingle, Nate Valcarcel
  • NB/Slot - Quentin Lake, Josh Wallace, Charles Woods, Shaun Jolly
  • RCB - Ahkello Witherspoon, Emmanuel Forbes, Derion Kendrick, AJ Green

The Rams arguably boast four starting-level cornerbacks in Darious Williams, Cobie Durant, Ahkello Witherspoon, and Emmanuel Forbes. Even Derion Kendrick had flashed as a starting cornerback in the past. And best of all, both Emmanuel Forbes and Ahkello Witherspoon are benefiting from their first Rams training camp.

The Rams' secondary is deep and talented. This may be one of the deepest secondaries in quite some time. So is the swing-and-miss of trying to trade for DB Jalen Ramsey a true setback? We had already cited multiple occasions when a failed trade attempt turned out far better than anyone had ever expected.

But don't take my word for it. Let's see what Rams HC Sean McVay had to say on the subject:

Home/Rams News