NFL expert ranks Rams rapidly improving defensive line among NFL's Top 10

Many NFL analysts have not caught on to the Los Angeles Rams' defensive front. After all, the Rams' pass rush has only racked up nine quarterback sacks in the first five games of the 2024 NFL season, and that is the total as the team limped into its Week 6 BYE. But the same team managed to put up nine quarterback sacks in their first postseason game.

That's right. The Rams sacked Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold nine times in the Wild Card Round of the 2025 NFL Playoffs. And despite all the false bravado spouted by the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive line, the Rams sacked Eagles QB Jalen Hurts seven times in the Divisional Round of the 2025 NFL Playoffs..

Two games that translated into 16 quarterback sacks.

That has created an ideal springboard for this young defense to begin another NFL season, filled with the hot pursuit of NFL quarterbacks. Still, many NFL analysts view this defense as the version that put up just nine quarterback sacks over the first five games. But PFF author Zoltan Buday sees the Rams' defensive front as the one that terrorized quarterbacks in the NFL Playoffs, and I think that he is on the right track:

Buday ranks the Rams' defensive front in ninth place, just outside of the top 25 percent of the league, but that is about right. The Rams may do better, or worse, than that position, and it will depend on a number of variables.

Perhaps the biggest question facing the Rams' defensive line in 2025 is the matter of run defense. While getting quarterback sacks is fun, the mantra of the defensive linemen has always been earning the right to sack the quarterback. From what we saw last season, that remains a work in progress.

The team hopes that the arrival of NT Poona Ford and his penchant for stuffing the run will make a huge difference for the team. From what we have been witnessing from OTAs and minicamp, he certainly shows plenty of promise to be exactly what the team needs for that role. Of course, he will not be expected to do it alone.

The Rams drafted a very athletic DT named Ty Hamilton, who will have a lot of impact on the Rams' ability to stuff the run. And the team has veteran ILB Nate Landman, who is already pulling ahead in the competition for a starting role. At 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, he brings some pop when it comes to meeting running backs in the hole.

How good can the Rams' defensive front become in 2025? With some improvement in several areas, I don't think ranking among the NFL's top five defensive lines is out of reach. This is a very young group. But don't rule them out. As we all witnessed in the playoffs, they can shock the NFL almost instantly. As always, thanks for reading.

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