LA Rams special teams will truly be special in 2024, and here's why:

When the LA Rams spiralled out of control in 2022, the team had to lighted the load, so to speak, to get their finances in order to allow the team to pivot to the positive in the 2023 NFL season. But not all aspects of the team were restocked initially. For special teams, and for new Special Teams Coordinator Chase Blackburn, his needs were not the priority.

That put him in a difficult position. After all, the team has wiped the slate clean of all returning veterans who specialized on special teams roles. Veteran punter Riley Dixon was not resigned. Nor was KR/PR/WR Brandon Powell. But most of all, the team did not attempt to extend their dependable field goal kicker, Matt Gay.

The team's new ST coordinator had to rebuild the roster with almost no resources. That created some problems. To patch the gap, Blackburn turned to backup return specialist veteran Austin Trammell to handle the return duties for the team. And after a great deal of eyes-on scouting and some lobbying, Blackburn did manage to convince the front office into drafting a highly regarded rookie punter out of Wingate named Ethan Evans.

But the team would invest no more than one late-round draft pick into special teams. And so, Blackburn signed long snapper Alex Ward after the 2023 NFL Draft. He also signed a pair of talented rookie kickers who would compete in training camp for the starting role. The team signed rookie kicker Christopher Dunn out of N.C. State, and rookie kicker Tanner Brown out of Oklahoma State. Both were added after the 2023 NFL Draft, but neither would work out.

In fact, the team would cycle through four different place kickers in 2023. Two of those kickers (Brett Maher and Tanner Brown) would have two different stints on the team. It was beginning to seem rather desperate for special teams.

Special Teams Phase II begins in 2024

While the team struggled throughout 2023 to find a viable place kicker and return specialist, the team was happy with the performance of both LS Alex Ward and punter Ethan Evans. So while the special teams group did not flourish, the front office did make significant progress in terms of getting where they needed to be.

There is an old adage that claims good things come to those who wait. Would the loyal Rams fans finally have the special teams enigma solved? Or would the team kick the can down the road one more season?

And then, 2024 arrived. And even more significant progress was in store for this Rams roster. In terms of a return specialist, the front office did not simply look for a young player who might figure out the complexity of the NFL's new kickoff rules. The upcoming changes dictated that this team be a bit more proactive. Not only did the team need a return specialist, but one who was able to analyze the changes to the kickoff rules, and engage in conversation and an advanced level of analysis to help steer the strategy in the right direction.

That was the ideal role for return specialist and veteran running back Boston Scott, who was not brought back by the Philadelphia Eagles. Scott is a hard-working rusher and a fan favorite of Eagles fans who reward effort and production. Over the span of his six-season NFL career, Scott has averaged 7.2 yards per punt return and 22.8 yards per kickoff return. He even returned kickoffs for 66 yards, 46 yards, and 38 yards for the Eagles special teams.

Just for comparison, Austin Trammell averaged 7.3 yards per punt return, but only 16.8 yards per kickoff return in 2023. And his longest kickoff return was 36 yards.

But the Rams were not finished addressing their need for a new kicker.

Rookie Kicker Joshua Karty is where the magic will happen in 2024

The front office may have wanted to select Alabama kicker Will Reichard, but the Minnesota Vikings selected him with the 27th pick in Round 6 of the 2024 NFL Draft. But as has been the case frequently over who the team wanted versus who the team added, it would work out for the best in this case too.

You see, the LA Rams selected Stanford kicker Joshua Karty with the 33rd pick in Round 6 of the 2024 NFL Draft. Not only was Karty considered the best of the kickers available in this draft, but some draft analysts viewed his accuracy and power as one of the best kickers to come out of college football for the past five or ten years.

Best of all, Karty wanted to stay on the West Coast. And his mother was hoping that the LA Rams would either draft her son or sign him after the draft. He was drafted by the Rams. And as the video below shows, mom had a Rams hat on to ensure that Fates got it right:

Okay, another rookie kicker. But didn't the Rams trial two rookie kickers in 2023? Er, not exactly. While both Tanner Brown and Christopher Dunn were good kickers, neither were as outstanding as Karty.

Karty was ranked as the top kicker in the 2024 NFL Draft by virtually all draft analysts that I was able to find. And like the challenges of linking the LA Rams to Florida State OLB Jared Verse, I hesitated to promote Karty to the roster because I expected him to be gone before I saw the Rams selecting a kicker in the 2024 NFL Draft.

BNB Football had a glowing summary of Joshua Karty in their draft profile:

"Joshua Karty had a perfect 2022 season where he hit all 18 of his field goals, 13 of which were 40+ yards. He has the leg strength to consistently hit from 60 yards, and a smooth, repeatable motion to suggest consistency in the future. He gets good lift on his kicks and has a clean approach to the ball. He was not perfect in 2023, but was still very respectable making 23-of-27 kicks despite very few short kicks.

Joshua Karty 2023 Stats
21/21 extra points, 23/27 field goals, 5/5 inside 30 yards, 7/8 30-39 yards, 7/7 40-49 yards, 4/7 50+ yards, 56 long"

BNB Football

He was about as good of a kicker that you can ever hope to see in college football.

Sometimes, events have a way of taking place so that they ultimately build towards a magnificent grand finish. While the team's special teams were not exactly thrilling in 2023, I can see much more to be excited about in 2024.

Rams fans love the contribution of a good field goal kicker. And by all measures of a rookie, the team appears to have landed one of the best rookie kickers that the NFL has seen in some time.

It's impossible to give more than this. The Rams have not played even preseason games yet, and so we are left with speculation and projections. But, can so many glowing and positive reports be so wrong? Joshua Karty ended up where he wanted to play. He ended up where his family wanted him to play. And by all accounts and the events of the 2024 NFL Draft, where he was destined to play.

I look for a magical season out of the LA Rams special teams in 2024. And that may be all that is needed to push this team over the top to another Super Bowl win.

Thanks for reading.