What a golden opportunity for the LA Rams to draft young trench workers

Many NFL headlines currently mention the Los Angeles Rams, but let's pivot from the buzz of NFL rumors to a more practical topic. The Rams' defense, as good and formidable as it became throughout the 2024 NFL season, revealed an Achilles Heel when the team faced the Philadelphia Eagles. The team simply did not have much of an answer when the team attempted to shut down powerful running back Saquon Barkley.

And that will prove to be a problem in 2025. The Rams not only face Barkley again, but the team will take on the Baltimore Ravens who have their own superhero rusher, Derrick Henry.

Complicating the Rams' offseason efforts to address that matter is the fact that the team is projected to lose several key blocker-gobblers from the defensive line. They are:

• NT Bobby Brown III - 6-foot-4 | 328 pounds | 4 years | 67.7 run defense
• NT Neville Gallimore - 6-foot-2 | 307 pounds | 5 years | 47.8 run defense
• DT Larrell Murchison - 6-foot-2 | 285 pounds | 5 years | No 2024 grade
• DT/OLB Michael Hoecht - 6-foot-4 | 267 pounds | 4 years | 73.5 run grade

While you may not hold all projected defenders in a favorable light, the truth is that four players laving the team creates a huge vacuum in the Rams roster for next season. And yes, the Rams have invested heavily into the defense of late. But the team had relied on veterans to fill the role of blocker-gobblers and run-stuffers. And four free agents is too great a number (and projected cost) to reinvest into a defensive front that needs to view the 2025 off-season as a golden opportunity to upgrade the run defense.

Thankfully, NFL Insider Brian Baldinger is all over this one. He has a very optimistic outlook about the 2025 NFL Draft, both in terms of talent and abundance. He asserts that NFL starting caliber defensive linemen can be found through Day 2 in this draft. And that lines up very nicely for the LA Rams in the 2025 NFL Draft.

I would not be the least bit surprised to find the Rams extending at least one of their projected defensive players, and even two does not sound out of touch. But with the team's highest priority focused on bringing veteran QB Matthew Stafford back in 2025, the front office does run the risk of being spread too thin to ensure reinforcements return next season.

If the team manages to bring back NT Bobby Brown III and DT/OLB Michael Hoecht on team-friendly contract terms, the Rams could select another defensive linemen to join their ranks. Of course, there are many competing needs on the team right now, and the Rams only have seven draft picks to spend in the upcoming NFL Draft. With more needs than picks, some positions will need to be addressed via the NFL Free Agency market or after the draft.

Still, the Rams defense showed remarkable progress in 2024. Look for similar growth in 2025.

As always, thanks for reading.

More Rams News, Rumors, Draft, and Analysis