Analysis: Previewing the position battle at inside linebacker

[ROD-BOT]

Analysis: Previewing the position battle at inside linebacker

TheRams.com previews one of the key defensive position battles to watch during training camp.

www.therams.com

Analysis: Previewing the position battle at inside linebacker

Over the last two years, the Rams defense counted on Cory Littleton to help guide the inside linebackers, dependable when asked to drop back into pass coverage and reliable as a tackler. He was also one of the most experienced, starting in every regular season game during that span.

Now, with Littleton joining the Las Vegas Raiders via free agency this offseason, it's an "open competition" for the starting roles within the position group, Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley said in May.

Here's a look at the candidates on Los Angeles' current roster, listed in alphabetical order.

Travin Howard

Experience: Two seasons.

Notes: After spending his 2018 rookie season on injured reserve due to an ankle injury sustained in training camp, the TCU product bounced back by playing all 16 games in 2019. He performed well late in the season especially, making 13 of his 19 total tackles and all three of his pass breakups over the final five weeks.

Clay Johnston

Experience: Rookie.

Notes: Had he not suffered a knee injury midway through his senior season at Baylor, Johnston likely would've been selected higher than 234th overall in the seventh round. Falling to Los Angeles at that point in the draft made him a steal of pick, according to Rams Senior Personnel Advisor Taylor Morton. Still, Johnson was productive when healthy – he made 58 tackles, eight for loss, 2.5 sacks, one interception and five pass breakups in six games to earn All-Big 12 Second Team honors, and received the same recognition after leading Baylor with 99 tackles in 2018.

Micah Kiser

Experience: Two seasons.

Notes: According to the Rams' first unofficial depth chart of the 2019 season, Kiser was projected to start alongside Littleton, but that opportunity never materialized because of Kiser's season-ending pectoral injury in Los Angeles' preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys. Now healthy, he'll get another chance to prove he can be a starter.

Bryan London II

Experience: Rookie.

Notes: A four-year starter at Texas State, London's 459 career tackles rank 20th-most in FBS history. He is listed as a candidate because his college film shows him playing inside linebacker at times, but he is as a generic linebacker on the Rams' roster.

Troy Reeder

Experience: One season.

Notes: Reeder played in all 16 games as a rookie, making eight starts and finishing with 52 total tackles. Making his first career start Week 5 at Seattle, he made a team-high 13 total tackles, a strong enough performance to earn him those other seven starting opportunities throughout the remainder of the 2019 season. His eight NFL starts are most of any inside linebacker currently on the roster.

Christian Rozeboom

Experience: Rookie.

Notes: Rozeboom led South Dakota in tackles and earned first-team Missouri Valley Football Conference honors in each of his four years with the program, finishing as the school's record-holder for career tackles with 475. He was a consensus FCS All-American selection in 2019.

Kenny Young

Experience: Two seasons.

Notes: Acquired in a trade with the Ravens last October, Young is the only other inside linebacker on the Rams roster with NFL starting experience, getting six across 21 games in Baltimore. He played a total of 14 games last season, five with the Ravens and nine with the Rams, making 17 total tackles.

 

[Memento]

I'm sorry, but I have zero faith in Young and Kiser, even less faith in Reeder, and little faith in the rookies (which I admit is a change of heart of sorts, but it comes after finding out that there aren't even preseason games.)

Reeder played, but he was one of the worst linebackers I've seen play for the Rams. I have no idea why they kept playing him, and I honestly think that he gets cut at the end (like John Franklin-Myers).

Young was a healthy scratch for a lot of our games after we obtained him. Kiser barely played his rookie year and was injured for all of his sophomore year. They might take charge this year, but given that Young was demoted by the Ravens and that Kiser is strictly a two-down linebacker at best...well, I don't think I'd keep them.

Johnston, Rozeboom, and London are definitely interesting rookies, but that's all they are: rookies. I am not going to count on rookies entirely, not with how this year has gone and with no preseason games. I could see one or two make the squad, but it's going to be difficult for them to prove themselves.

Howard is the best option we have listed here, and that's simply unacceptable, even though I like Howard. Howard is a former safety who is excellent in pass-coverage, arguably at the same level as Littleton. Unfortunately, those benefits come with the same downside: he simply doesn't have the necessary strength to hold up against the run.

If I were Brandon Staley, I'd put in Leonard Floyd at inside linebacker. He has the ability to pass-rush, drop in coverage, and play the run at a good - not great - level. But really, that's all we need at inside linebacker: someone balanced enough to make plays in all aspects of the game.

And next year looks even worse with Floyd likely going to be a free agent. If I'm Snead (and here's hoping this year goes well and he doesn't get fired, because I like the guy a lot), I go for at least two offensive linemen - a center and a left tackle - and two inside linebackers.

 

[Memento]

Before y'all ask me who I would keep, I'd personally scour the waiver wire for inside linebackers; there's going to be some that will fit our system who get cut at the end.

 

[RamDino]

Kiser barely played his rookie year and was injured for all of his sophomore year.

I would not discount Kiser yet. I realize that he might not be a good "cover" linebacker, but I think he can plug the middle on running plays, blitz the QB on pass plays, and also sit in the middle and wait for QB's like Russell Wilson or Kyler Murray to TRY and escape through the middle of the line. Kiser is a thumper, at the very least, and Snead is high on him IIRC. Yes, I am a homer... Go Rams!

PS - Good to start reading some football news again.

 

[Merlin]

I have low expectations as well. ILB in the NFL seems to be two groups: guys you get early (who can fill well in the run game or cover) and everyone else (who are flawed in one or the other). The guys who can do both are hard to find, and yeah I'm sure it's possible to find the total package types by developing them, but in general teams that aren't loaded there do the same thing: they sub heavily.

Subbing sucks and shrewd offensive mind type HCs who have the right personnel can make you pay for that. But I think it's what we'll be doing this year and I am sure next offseason Staley will beat the table for more talent.

And re: sub packages in the run stopping role I feel like Rapp is going to factor in heavily. The reason for this is his ability to fill in the run game. He can cover better than I thought too btw (that is to say prior to the draft I thought he was strictly a SS) but his open field tackling ability and aggression in support of the run are special. In the event Travin Howard doesn't step up they may explore Rapp in a WILB type role to allow for less sub movement of personnel.

IMO the SILB spot will be a hard run filler. So Kiser / Reeder / Johnston etc. We have more options there IMO.

 

[Jacobarch]

Ugh our ilb room is seriously lacking. Unless Howard or Reeder make huge strides in year two it's gonna be tough sledding for these guys. Kiser doesn't impress me at all. He's on the smaller side and doesn't seem to have good coverage skills or instincts. Hopefully he proves me wrong

 

[badnews]

I guess I am higher on Howard than most. Considering he got no experience out of his rookie season, I thought he was starting to look alright out there. Not good, but capable of getting there with more snaps.

 

[Rams43]

Ugh our ilb room is seriously lacking. Unless Howard or Reeder make huge strides in year two it's gonna be tough sledding for these guys. Kiser doesn't impress me at all. He's on the smaller side and doesn't seem to have good coverage skills or instincts. Hopefully he proves me wrong

Kiser Is on the smaller side? Seriously?

He’s 6’ 0” and 244 lbs.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3048692/micah-kiser

As to instincts? He was considered to have excellent instincts coming out of college. A damned tackling machine.

 

[DR RAM]

I’m in the Howard camp also. I dont think he will get every snap, at that position though.

 

[So Ram]

It will be interesting how things playout. Can’t believe it is this far into the season & we still have no clue.
—Crazy life changes.

 

[Dxmissile]

I think Howard is the perfect blend of being able to cover and offer run support not to mention being able to keep up with these running qbs in our division

 

[FaulkSF]

It should shake out to Howard as a starter. I think Young didn't get much burn because of Wade's stubbornness. I'm guessing he's a second stringer. Wasn't terribly impressed with him at UCLA. Hope he proves me wrong.

Coin flip between Kiser and Patrick as other starter on rushing downs.

 

[dang]

Kiser will be better than Reeder and will be a decent run defender. Looking for Patrick or Howard to surprise for the 2nd ILB when needed. Floyd might be used inside if OLB can be handled by Ebukam and Oko/Lewis. Cant figure Young out but it looks like the Rams aren’t impresssd.

 

[Ram65]

I don't see Partick as being fast enough to cover. I think Kiser can be a two-down run stopper with enough coverage skills with his 4.66 40 speed. He moves well for a 240Lb LBer. He may prove to be able to stay in on 3rd downs. Floyd can cover and may do more of that then pass rush while being able to move over to the middle if need be in 3rd down situations. Kiser was a very good Blitzer in college and a student of the game. Kizer looks buffed up. He has had two years to study and workout. Look for solid competition for the other ISLber spot and sub-packages with Rapp/Johnson and Burgess.


Scroll down and you will see Kiser posing in the new uni.

Looking at 2020 uniforms

View: https://www.facebook.com/Rams/videos/748489009319316 TIME TO GO TO WORK! Woo hoo! Man... yeah, seeing the start of football activities..... getting pumped.

ramsondemand.com

 

[badnews]

Am I making this up or did Natrez Patrick look pretty good in preseason last year? I remember getting a strong impression,one way or another.

 

[badnews]

From last year

Los Angeles Rams: Natrez Patrick pushing for a roster spot

The Los Angeles Rams took a shot on linebacker Natrez Patrick, and he's proving his worth as a versatile playmaker defensively.

nflmocks.com

 

[Memento]

Am I making this up or did Natrez Patrick look pretty good in preseason last year? I remember getting a strong impression,one way or another.

They're putting Patrick as an outside linebacker. Personally, I'd love to see him inside, but I don't think the coaching staff feels the same way.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Rams LBs coach sheds light on competition at ILB with Kiser, Reeder

Joe Barry indicated that it’ll be Micah Kiser and Troy Reeder competing at inside linebacker this year.

theramswire.usatoday.com

Rams LBs coach sheds light on competition at ILB with Kiser, Reeder

The Rams were unable to retain Cory Littleton this offseason as he left in free agency to join the Las Vegas Raiders. With limited cap space, it was almost expected that Los Angeles would lose two of its biggest free agents, and Littleton was certainly among them.

What was more surprising was the Rams’ decision not to address the inside linebacker position in free agency or early in the draft. The only addition they made was by drafting Clay Johnston in the seventh round, but he’s not expected to contribute immediately on defense.

Micah Kiser is the primary candidate to replace Littleton, but he’s not the team’s only option. Linebackers coach Joe Barry shed some light on the competition during an appearance on the Rams Revealed Podcast with J.B. Long, and it sounds like it’ll come down to Kiser or Troy Reeder in the middle.

As of now, Kiser is working with the starters, while Reeder is on the second-team defense.

“It’s great to have Micah Kiser healthy and back out there. We were excited about him a year ago and hurt his pec in that preseason game, so it’s great to have him back out,” Barry said. “When Micah went down, we had an undrafted kid that stepped in and did a great job for us as an undrafted rookie, Troy Reeder, so both those guys are battling, but Micah’s working with the first group right now, Troy’s working with the second group in our acclimation phase. But it’s just great to have the guys out there as we start ramping things up. The great thing about Sean’s program is it’s all about competition. The way I coach guys, I always tell the room, ‘Hey, I don’t have starters and backups. I have starters and starters in waiting.’

“I’ve got a great group of young up-and-coming guys so I’m excited for all of them.”

Kiser was in line to start next to Littleton last year before he injured his pectoral in the preseason and landed on IR. He has yet to play a defensive snap in two seasons, but the Rams are relying heavily on him to come through in 2020.

Travin Howard, Kenny Young and Johnston would be the next guys up after Reeder, but the fact that Barry didn’t mention them suggests Kiser and Reeder are the Rams’ top choices right now.

The pads haven’t even come on in practice yet, which will help decide the competition. But by the sound of it, Kiser will get the first crack at replacing Littleton.