The LA Rams secondary has fans worried. Here's how to upgrade it in 3 easy steps
By Bret Stuter
The LA Rams pass defense was not the worst in the NFL. In all honesty, the group was a bit overachieving, as the secondary was comprised of young players and anonymous veterans, and even the players whose names were recognizable were thought to be too injury-prone to be counted on. It was the Island of Misfit Toys training camp in many ways and the Ram's secondary became a focal point of opposing offenses later in the season.
In terms of yards allowed, the Rams secondary was ranked 20th out of 32 teams. In terms of passing TDs allowed, the Rams ranked 23rd out of 32 teams. In terms of interceptions, the Rams were once again ranked 23rd out of 32 teams. But, in terms of money invested in the secondary, the LA Rams' spending on defensive backs was ranked 30th out of 32 teams. For 2024, the LA Rams' salary commitments rank dead last on secondary spending.
If the phrase 'You get what you pay for,' comes to mind, you are on the right track. If you think back, the LA Rams were so penny-pinching one year ago that the team shed veterans via trades and cuts, and showed almost no interest in re-signing any players, even to Reserve/Future contracts.
It was not some experiment in the lab by mad scientist Les Snead, in some attempt to see how little the Rams could spend and remain a playoff team. Rather, it was a necessity of survival. The Rams spending spree had run its course, and the Rams simply had to tighten down their spending in 2023 to ensure that the team had sufficient finances to survive the season.
So how do the LA Rams solidify their secondary? While this could be an epically long slide show, I will try to limit words to basic fundamental strategy, just 3 slides, and let you, the reader, translate what that means in terms of who to retain, add, or draft to the Rams roster. It's as easy as 1-2-3. So let's get right to it.