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Don't look now, but The Conductor is tuning up the band on Rams D again

The LA Rams defense was led in quarterback sacks by rookie Kobie Turner, The Conductor, in 2023. And he is tuning up the band one more time for 2024. Stay tuned for some fun

ByBret Stuter|
Kobie Turner, Byron Young, Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams
Kobie Turner, Byron Young, Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams | Harry How/GettyImages
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A new wave of rookies on the Rams roster are showing up in 2024

The LA Rams roster lost two starting defensive linemen in the offseason: DT Aaron Donald to retirement, and DE Jonah Williams to an expired contract. Heading into the 2024 NFL Draft, the team's most urgent need was clearly beefing up the defense's front seven, both in terms of talent and in terms of depth. Thankfully, that is exactly what the team's front office managed to do.

During the draft, the Rams added:

  • OLB Jared Verse - Florida State (19th overall)
  • DT Braden Fiske - Florida State (39th overall)
  • OLB Brennen Jackson - Washington State (154th overall)
  • DT Tyler Davis - Clemson (196th overall)

Of course, the team also added 16 rookies after the draft, and you can bet that multiple players have their sights on contributing to the Rams front seven. But even if we lower expectations to the four drafted rookies, what might we expect in 2024?

Can lightning strike twice in terms of the bond between an edge rusher and an interior defensive lineman this year? If it does, the Rams will boast another pair of rookie defenders, Jared Verse and Braden Fiske, who will contribute more than 15+ quarterback sacks between them. If you remove Aaron Donald's 8.0 quarterback sacks from last season, but factor in 15.0 sacks for Verse and Fiske, the Rams defense could flirt with 50 quarterback sacks in 2024.

If other players improve in Year 2, as is often the case, this Rams defense could end up among a Top-5 pass rush group this season. Unlikely? Not after the explosion of quarterback sacks by two of the team's rookies in 2023. And with a new investment into the team's pass rush for this season, it's completely reasonable to expect better results.

Don't look now, but The Conductor is tuning up the band on Rams defense once again. This time, he is not a bewildered rookie who is trying to find his way. In 2024, Kobie Turner knows what to expect. And better yet, the rest of the NFL hasn't a clue.

Thanks for reading.

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