https://theramswire.usatoday.com/20...rams-roster-linebacker-depth-rookie-starters/
By: Cameron DaSilva
After the Los Angeles Rams were bounced from the playoffs last season, everyone’s eyes turned to the roster. Trumaine Johnson, Sammy Watkins, Lamarcus Joyner, Nickell Robey-Coleman and John Sullivan were among the many players set to hit free agency, bringing into question how the Rams would address potential roster holes.
Joyner, Robey-Coleman and Sullivan were all re-signed, while Los Angeles replaced Watkins and Johnson with three blockbuster trades. That left them needing very little heading into the 2018 NFL Draft.
Linebacker was obviously a top priority, as was offensive line depth, but the Rams didn’t seem overly concerned about the latter. After all, they waited until the fifth round to add any sort of linebacker, either inside or outside.
So where do the roster holes lie now that the draft is in the books? Really, there’s only one vacancy, and it’s at the position the Rams needed most heading into the draft: linebacker.
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At cornerback, they’re set with Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib and Robey-Coleman, among others. Their safety duo of Joyner and John Johnson is one of the best in the league. The defensive line needs no explanation with Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh and Michael Brockers topping the depth chart, while the offensive line is equally deep after the draft.
At wide receiver and running back, the Rams have a wealth of talent. At quarterback, Jared Goff isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so there’s no concern under center, either.
As you can see, there aren’t any real holes on the roster outside of linebacker. Unfortunately, that’s a
big vacancy, given the possibility that three new starters will be on the field in Week 1 after trading Alec Ogletree and Robert Quinn, as well as letting Connor Barwin walk. Mark Barron looks like the only returning starter, while the rest of the group will be sorted out in training camp.
We’re still in the very early parts of the offseason and there’s plenty yet to be determined, but you can’t help but wonder what Los Angeles will do at linebacker next season. Will it be rookies Micah Kiser or Tegray scales starting next to Barron? Or will Cory Littleton and Ramik Wilson hold off the first-year players to earn a starting job?
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At outside linebacker, Samson Ebukam and Matt Longacre will have their work cut out for them when it comes to staving off Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. It’s likely one of the two will start in Week 1, but Okoronkwo has a good chance to take one of their jobs – likely Longacre’s.
Fortunately, the Rams bolstered their defensive line and secondary to make up for the holes at linebacker. If they can generate pressure up front and on the interior, it’ll make the lives of all four linebackers much easier. Inside ‘backers will be given more free runs to ball carriers, while the edge rushers will be afforded additional one-on-one matchups.
Los Angeles is in as good of shape as any team in the NFL, but until the linebacker position gets sorted out, all eyes will go to the middle of the defense.
