LA Rams roster: Four betters, Four worse

Four worse

I : No matter who wins the job of starting placekicker for the LA Rams, they will have a huge uphill battle filling in for Matt Gay. In fact, it's neigh impossible to do everything for the LA Rams that Gay was able to accomplish. I do not mean to state that in no uncertain terms, but it's important to set the bar of expectations correctly for the next Kicker to get the job.

The Rams had to rifle through multiple kickers: Liram Hajrullahu, Austin MacGinnis, Sam Sloman, and Kai Forbath before finding and signing Matt Gay to a contract. That process required many months and half of the 2020 NFL season to complete. But when it was finished, the Rams not only ended up with an accurate placekicker, but one who could send it through the uprights at amazing distances.

While I am optimistic that the LA Rams' current competition for starting placekicker between two undrafted rookies Christopher Dunn and Tanner Brown will yield an accurate kicker, I am less optimistic about the Rams' chances of getting a kicker who can make 85+ percent of his field goal attempts over 40 yards. Gay was a master at his craft, which is why he signed elsewhere for a record-high contract for a kicker. The Rams chose to settle for a more economical option for the position, and they may have to settle for less power in doing so.

Simply the best

II : Try as they might, whoever takes over for Jalen Ramsey in the Rams' secondary has a tough challenge ahead of him this season. Ramsey was so good at what he did, the Rams began to employ his talents in the form of an expanded role on defense. Now, the Rams secondary will need to learn how to play a more traditional form of pass defense, with safeties who are able to help provide high coverage on receivers.

But Jalen Ramsey was more than just a good cover corner. He was so many things for the Rams defense. He was big and physical enough to manhandle the pass catching elite tight ends who occasionally show up on the Rams schedule. He was strong enough to set the edge, shedding blockers to make the tackle on sweeps, or turn the play in to allow his teammates to make the play.

Regardless of who earns a shot to start in the Rams secondary in the spot occupied by Ramsey, they will face two daunting challenges. For openers, they will have far less experience at the position, which will make it that much more difficult to diagnose the play and be able to effectively stop the offense.

The second challenge is that, thanks to the fact that opposing offenses no longer face Ramsey, whoever takes over for Ramsey will face a constant stream of action coming his way on defense until he proves that he can stop the play for little or no gain. That could take a very long time.