There's a lot to unpack from latest wave of Rams roster moves

How does the pass rush rotation change now?

The LA Rams have employed a tight rotation for outside linebackers throughout 2024. With the exception of some cameo appearances by Nick Hampton and Brennan Jackson, the Rams have stuck with a rotation of OLBs Byron Young, Jared Verse, and Michael Hoecht. And in all honesty, that has worked out rather well for the team in 2024.

But with Nick Hampton now suffering a season-ending injury, does that now compel the team to promote rookie OLB Brennan Jackson? I think it has to be considered. Even though all outside linebackers return for 2025, it's vital to the team to know the upside of every player who is coming back. And of all pass rushers on the team, Jackson is the least known in terms of potential upside.

The question is: What is his upside?

It's better than you may first think. As a starter on the Washington State Cougars, Brennan Jackson faced some of the nation's elite college offensive tackles and enjoyed success against them. Standing 6-foot-4 and tipping the scales at 255 pounds, he was more than a match for their physicality and power. He was very productive in college, recording 57 tackles, three pass breakups, four fumble recoveries, 13 tackles for a loss, one forced fumble, three fumbles recovered and returned for touchdowns, and 8.5 quarterback tackles in his senior season alone.

So why hasn't he emerged to that level of production for the Rams yet? Well, it starts with the lack of opportunities, a factor that I hope to see remedied by the rotation going forward. And that lack of defensive snaps not only limits his ability to generate meaningful production, but also limits his ability to integrate effectively integrate his style into the overall defense.

I don't expect Brennan Jackson to show up and catch fire in the final games of the season. But I would love to see him average 10-15 defensive snaps to close out the season. He is a rookie who I remain very high on, despite his lack of opportunities. And I hope the Rams give him the chance to confirm or disprove by confidence in him before 2025.