Here are 3 LA Rams options to fill Bobby Wagner's spot

The LA Rams have released veteran inside linebacker Bobby Wagner. While that comes as a shock, it does create an opportunity for younger players to step up and claim a larger role in the Rams' defense. While Bobby Wagner remains among the elite inside linebackers in the NFL today, he is about to turn 33 years of age, and the Rams have been willing to part ways with veterans past a certain age. (Andrew Whitworth was the exception).

It was clear that the Rams' defensive strategy frustrated fans. But was it designed that way for a reason? In creating a soft zone appearance, were the Rams counting on pass coverage from their elite inside linebackers that was not always dependable?

To hear some talk, Bobby Wagner was taking the field in a walker and had to be wheeled off in a wheelchair. That was most certainly not the case. We know that the LA Rams needed to save salary cap space, which likely led the team to approach Wagner about reworking his contract to save the team space in 2023. We know that Wagner wants to win one more Super Bowl before he walks away from the game, which more than likely prompted him to say no to dabbling with his contract.

Money or chances of success? Was it the LA Rams or Bobby Wagner? It really doesn't matter right now.

ToMAHto ToMAYto, let's call the whole thing sauce

What does matter is the LA Rams no longer have the guy who suited up for all 17 games, a defender who accounted for 140 tackles (1st on team), who brought down opposing quarterbacks six times (2nd on team) and who picked the quarterback's pocket two times for interceptions (tied for 3rd). He even defensed five passes (tied for 2nd). That is a lot of production to replace.

The LA Rams are not going to find that type of production in the 2023 NFL Draft, at least not instantly. Truth be told, the Rams will be hard-pressed to find that level of production in free agency either, and certainly not at an affordable alternative. That means that the Rams will need to find that production internally. So who are the candidates for promotion?

Primary Starter: Ernest Jones

There is no doubt that ILB Ernest Jones is the heir apparent now. When the LA Rams drafted him, the team wanted to find a young rookie who could develop into a Bobby Wagner-type inside linebacker, and in many ways, the Rams appear to have hit the bullseye. He was the 'other guy' in the middle of the Rams' defense, and he seemed to be an equal candidate to Wagner in terms of production.

Per Lineups.com, Bobby Wagner played 1080 defensive snaps for the LA Rams, while Ernest Jones played just 723. The difference was simply the occasions when the Rams pulled Ernest Jones in order to add an additional defensive back in either the nickel or dime sub-packages. So if you look at Ernest Jones 113 tackles on 723 defensive snaps, had he played for 1080 defensive snaps, he was on pace to record 170 tackles. That's huge, and perhaps leads to understanding why the Rams were willing to part ways with Wagner here and now.

The student becomes the master

Ernest Jones had developed into more than a solid defensive starter. He was beginning to rival his mentor, and had likely passed Wagner in pass defense. So the Rams likely view Jones as the future starter at the position. That begins to make a lot of sense as Wagner and Jones worked very closely together throughout the 2022 NFL season. With the release of Wagner, the team has created an opportunity to promote Ernest Jones in 2023, a promotion that he certainly deserves:

So the LA Rams can go cheaper at the position and at least count on comparable production. So far, so good. But if the Rams promote Ernest Jones to the starter who calls the defensive plays, then who will backfill into his role in 2023? We have three options for you.

Option III: Jake Gervase

While he is technically a free agent in 2023, an Exclusive Rights Free Agent (ERFA), you can factor ILB/DB hybrid Jake Gervase into the discussion for a larger role in 2023. Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 212 pounds, Gervase is big enough to be in the heavy traffic area behind the LA Rams 3-4 defensive front. In fact, the Rams leveraged his pass coverage skills by cross-training him to play at the inside linebacker position. At the time, the sense was that the team was short at the ILB position. But Gervase's tremendous athleticism made that all possible.

The LA Rams found some success in running a nickel package, swapping out the second linebacker role, and inserting a defensive back who flourished in the box like Nick Scott or Taylor Rapp. But along the way, the team cross-trained safety Jake Gervase as an inside linebacker. Now, that investment may pay off as the Rams could roll Gervase in next to Ernest Jones on passing downs. That could pay off in much stronger pass coverage on crossing routes.

Of course, going from next to nothing to a player who gets 700-800 defensive snaps out of the gate may be a stretch. But Gervase is a strong prospect who I have awaited getting a larger role in the Rams' defense. This could be the moment that happens. Gervase played exclusively special teams for the Rams in 2022. Perhaps he gets a chance to play defense in 2023?

Gervase is a viable option if the Rams want to attack those crossing routes a bit more aggressively. While the Rams may be giving up a bit of run-stuffing by playing Jake Gervase as an inside linebacker, the trade-off is worth it if the team improves pass defense by a greater factor. And the Rams can be selective over playing Gervase, specifically when the down and distance scream 'pass play.' But it's our first option, and we have two more to cover.

Option II: Christian Rozeboom

If seniority counts, then the LA Rams will surely give a long hard lock to promoting ILB Christian Rozeboom to a starting role alongside Ernest Jones. Rozeboom was signed by the LA Rams from South Dakota State University after the 2020 NFL Draft. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 230 pounds, he is a taller but more powerful enforcer for the LA Rams, in theory. So far, he also has been nearly exclusively on special teams. He had just seven defensive snaps in 2022.

The Rams have generally added raw but athletic linebackers to the roster, and carry several on their practice squad. Rozeboom opted to sign with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021, but he was eventually cut and re-signed by the LA Rams. At the time, I envisioned a solid pairing of Ernest Jones alongside Christian Rozeboom as the two starting ILBs for the Rams. That never transpired in 2021. But could it happen in 2023?

The pair feels well suited in several ways. For starters, both are listed at 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, so they cannot be attacked differently by opposing offenses. Jones is the more physical presence, laying the type of tackles that opposing ball carriers feel well after the fact. Rozeboom is the rangy guy, the linebacker who can cover sideline to sideline. I may be wrong about their chemistry, but I hope I'm not. I think they could play very well lined up side by side.

The only way to determine if these two have any chemistry or synergy is to line them up on the football field and give them a chance at defending. A risk? Perhaps. But I'd rather that the LA Rams knows what these two are capable of then simply guessing at it. Even if that means a quarter of preseason work, I believe that the risk is warranted. But we'll have to wait and see if that holds true.

Option I: Jake Hummel

The LA Rams need a cover guy who can plug the running lanes but create havoc against the pass, and ILB Jake Hummel may be the guy who can do both better than the competition. Like the other candidates who have shown up on this list so far, Hummel was exclusively on special teams for the Rams in 2022. But if you consider the quality of play from both Bobby Wagner and Ernest Jones in 2022 and the fact that neither player was injured, you can begin to understand that cracking the Rams' defense was a very difficult challenge for a rookie.

Hummel was signed by the LA Rams after the 2022 NFL Draft, an undrafted rookie to a position that would be highly competitive. But even when he was signed, he had a special something about him that piqued our interest. After all, the LA Rams had a knack for finding inside linebackers who could play from the ranks of undrafted rookies. The Rams did so with former ILB Cory Littleton. The team did so with Troy Reeder. Now, the team will try Jake Hummel.

There is reason to believe in Hummel as he possesses rare elite athleticism, which is a very good starting point for an NFL ILB. Just check out his RAS form last year:

Hummel is a headsy guy who can make plays against the pass. but can also stuff the run with memorable physical tackles. The trick is whether his style of play complements that of Ernest Jones, or is too similar and will create unnecessary duplication. If nothing else, Hummel is a young man who puts in the work and lets his play speak for itself.

The news over Bobby Wagner may have been unexpected, but it does not equate to the LA Rams suddenly repurposing their early draft picks to ensure that the team has sufficient depth at the inside linebacker position. Rather, the vacancy in the starting lineup creates an opportunity for the LA Rams to promote one of their young hardworking inside linebackers who are already on the roster.

I've listed three options. Did I miss anyone?