It's only minicamp, but this Rams pass rush is loaded for the 2025 season

The Los Angeles Rams defense didn't set the NFL on fire in 2024. At least, not when it came to stalking opposing quarterbacks. The Denver Broncos' pass rush sacked opposing quarterbacks 63 times, good enough to lead the NFL in that statistic. The Rams' pass rush could only muster 38 quarterback sacks. landing it at 21st among 32 teams in the same category. 16 NFL players were able to record 10.0+ quarterback sacks single-handedly. Not one Rams pass rusher was able to reach that plateau.

DROY Jared Verse, a dominating force for the Rams who does not know how to quit, only managed to record 4.5 quarterback sacks in 2024. But big changes are coming to the Rams' pass rush this season. How can I be so sure? Let's just say that there has never been a collection of such formidable and passionate pass rushers on one team.

Let's start with the fact that the Rams have assembled a set of pass rushers that rivals the roster of the Marvel movies Avengers. Even as outside linebacker Jared Verse was earning his honors as the 2024 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, his teammates have been busy at their craft as well. In 2024, the Rams had three pass rushers with 7.5 QB sacks or more: DT Braden Fiske (8.5 sacks), NT Kobie Turner (8.0 sacks), and OLB Byron Young (7.5 sacks).

Now, just look at the list of rookies who have recorded at least 8.0 quarterback sacks as well as at least 45 quarterback pressures since 2020:

It's not too far of a stretch to envision the Rams starting four players on the defensive front of Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Kobie Turner, and Byron Young recording 10.0 quarterback sacks apiece in 2025. In two postseason games against the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles, this pass rush recorded 16.0 quarterback sacks. Five Rams defenders, four of whom are named earlier in this paragraph, recorded multiple sacks in those two games.

Now here is where is really gets good

To all of this firepower, the Rams are expecting a significant contribution from 2024 rookie outside linebacker Brennan Jackson. Jackson showed great promise in training camp, but was dinged up and slowed his development. The team opted to sustain a three-man rotation at edge rusher last season, but you can expect Jackson to get his share of defensive snaps in 2024.

Still, the same team has added several new faces to the pass rush for 2025. So let's run down a few of the notable names you are likely to see this year:

(4) - That edge rusher from Washington State

Brennan Jackson stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 263 pounds, a robust powerhouse off the edge who loves to get physical and nasty. He arrived in the NFL with plenty of promise and was projected to come off the board as early as Day 2. He has the size and power to take on a Morgan Fox-like role in this defense, but has the agility and speed-to-power elements of Jared Verse. Suffice it to say that if the Rams want to get a physical presence off the edge, he is already on the roster.

Jackson has not secured a roster spot for 2025 yet, but early reports from OTAs are that he is healthy and making positive impressions on the coaching staff. Whenever HC Sean McVay mentions a player's name this early in the offseason, that's a pretty good indication that he will have a role this season.

What I love most about Jackson's upside for 2025 is that he already knows the team, the coaches, his teammates, and the drill. While he may have been limited to a cameo role last year, he brings a veteran's familiarity to the defense in 2025. And he has plenty of power to not only set the edge and rush the passer, but to stuff the run this year as well.

(3) That rookie nose tackle from Ohio State

While rookie nose tackle Ty Hamilton has yet to put on the pads and start hitting at the NFL level, optimism over his rookie season is not homerism at all. While the 13th-ranked defensive lineman in the 2025 NFL Draft, this year's DT rookie class was incredibly deep and talented. Had he declared one year earlier, he would have been among the top eight defensive tackles. Once again, he was projected by some draft boards to hear his name on Day 2. The Rams were able to select him in Round 5.

Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 299 pounds, Hamilton possesses a low center of gravity, tremendous power, and surprising agility for an interior defensive lineman. He is so athletic that he can easily slide effortlessly to any position on the Rams' defensive line and remain effective in that role. He follows a pattern of very successful rookies for this team, as both Kobie Turner (2023) and Braden Fiske (2024) have exceeded expectations. Now Hamilton has the opportunity to extend the team's streak of finds for the defensive line.

Hamilton adds immediate rotational value to this defense as early as Week 1. But as experience builds, he will be more than an understudy. He has a unique set of gifts that, when fully developed, can unlock new stunts and strategies along the team's defensive front.

(2) That rookie edge rusher from Michigan

When the Rams selected Michigan rookie edge rusher Josaiah Stewart, the team had many options to choose from to improve the roster. So why did the team turn its attention to a position that seemed to be abundantly stocked for 2025, and ignore positions that seemed to need a bit more oomph to meet the demands of a new NFL season?

For openers, this team has a soft spot for players who begin their collegiate careers by dominating at smaller football programs, but who transfer to larger college football teams and continue to improve. Such is the case for Stewart, who began at Coastal Carolina but finished at Michigan. At 6-foot-1 and 249 pounds, he is a bit on the smallish side, but he has a ferocious pass rush, and his ability to drop into pass coverage adds an entirely new dimension to the Rams' defense.

While Stewart may not suit up for 100 percent of the team's defensive snaps, whenever he steps onto the football field, fans know that he will give 100 percent of his effort. As one NFL scout said about Stewart, he will be fun to watch.

(1) That veteran nose tackle from the Los Angeles Chargers

The Rams' front office surprised me with their uncanny ability to address the need for a robust NFL nose tackle. I truly never expected the Los Angeles Chargers to lose veteran NT Poona Ford to the 2025 NFL Free Agency market. And if Ford can deliver anywhere close to expectations, I hope that the Rams do not make the same mistake.

Despite entering his eighth NFL season, and coming out of successive one-year stints with the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Chargers, veteran NT Poona Ford whet his NFL teeth by playing his first five seasons for the Seattle Seahawks. And his NFL career has found him filling any defensive lineman position. But for the Rams defense, he will be a dominating nose tackle.

Ford is small but mighty. He stands 5-foot-11 but weighs an impressive 310 pounds. He has a reputation as a solid run-stuffer at nose tackle, but he can also deliver a sneakily effective pass rush as well. Last season, he recorded 3.0 quarterback sacks as a nose tackle who played 604 defensive snaps.

Ford means business on the football field. He not only recorded 39 tackles and eight tackles for a loss, but he also deflected five passes and even claimed an interception in 2024. In many cases, defenses are content to settle for a nose tackle who simply cannot be moved off the ball. But in Poona Ford, the Rams have landed a truly capable defensive weapon who can pressure and throttle opposing quarterbacks directly out of the A-gap.

The Rams pass rush was okay last season. The same pass rush was elite in the NFL Playoffs. Now, how good can it be in 2025? If the roster additions and OTAs are any indication, you'll want plenty of popcorn for the show this year. As always, thanks for reading.

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