7 LA Rams who desperately need a strong effort against Raiders

I: LB Christian Rozeboom

There is no doubt that the LA Rams will start inside linebacker Ernest Jones, and that Jones will have a role in bolstering the Rams suspect run defense. But the question over who suits up and plays alongside Jones has yet to be answered.

One player who stands out among the crowd is veteran inside linebacker Christian Rozeboom. While he has been a fixture for the Rams special teams, this year he could take a huge step forward and fill the second starting role in the Rams defense.

When they were paired in 2021, the combination of Ernest Jones and Christian Rozeboom showed tremendous promise for the Rams' defense. This year, that potential can be realized in production, While Ernest Jones delivers the thunder at stuffing runs and delivering big hits, Rozeboom is the lightning, ranging all over in pass defense and shooting gaps to make tackles for losses.

Even Rozeboom must show positive trending

Rozeboom got off to a hot start in the first preseason game, as he recorded four early tackles, one as an impressive tackle behind the line of scrimmage, before he was rotated out to sit out the rest of the game.

The LA Rams cannot take one game and turn it into a starting role for Rozeboom. Like every other player on the Rams roster, Christian Rozeboom will need to show development in a positive trend. And as awkward as it may seem on the surface, Rozeboom finally has a chance to make the Rams 53-man roster this season.

A shot at a starting role is within reach, But to get that role, Rozeboom will need to show his best effort of his career. Starting in the NFL is not a pro bono role. Rozeboom must earn the right to start for the LA Rams, and he can take a huge step to doing so by putting up a huge effort in preseason against the Las Vegas Raiders.