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By: Cameron DaSilva | July 24, 2019 11:20 am ET
If the Los Angeles Rams aren’t confident in their current group of defensive linemen, there’s good news: A former Pro Bowler just came on the market thanks to the Green Bay Packers.
Mike Daniels is shockingly available after being cut by the Packers on Wednesday, a surprising move right before camp. A 2017 Pro Bowler, Daniels was set to make $10.7 million this season, the last year of his contract.
The Packers may not have seen much value in keeping the veteran defensive lineman around, but the Rams should absolutely consider signing him. Pairing him with Aaron Donald could be exactly what the Rams were looking for when they signed Ndamukong Suh last offseason.
If the Rams are indeed interested in bringing Daniels aboard, they’ll likely be on his short list of potential suitors, given his desire to play for a Super Bowl contender.
Daniels is best at 3-technique, which is where Donald plays. However, his versatility along the defensive line allows him to line up at several positions.
He can play directly over the center or line up across from the guard, rushing the passer from any of the interior defensive line spots. Suh brought similar positional flexibility to the table, but he clearly didn’t fit very well as a nose tackle.
Daniels definitely does. Look at this film package from the 2017 season that shows him playing a variety of different positions, the first of which is nose tackle.
Daniels’ numbers from last season are nothing to get excited about. He had 18 tackles, two sacks and only one tackle for loss in 10 games, missing the final six due to injury. Despite the lackluster stats, Daniels was still a highly effective pass rusher from the inside.
Take a look at these numbers from Pro Football Focus.
Furthermore, his 14.3% pass-rushing win rate ranks sixth among all interior defenders since 2013.
There are two questions that come with signing Daniels: How healthy is he after suffering a foot injury last season, and how much will he cost? With this being such a surprising move, one has to wonder whether the Packers released him because he isn’t healthy.
As for his price tag, that’s anyone’s guess. The fact that he’s seeking a Super Bowl contender helps the Rams’ case, potentially meaning he’ll take a discount to join a playoff team.
It doesn’t hurt Los Angeles that Clay Matthews is also on the team, presenting Daniels with the opportunity to reunite with a fellow ex-Packer. Matthews could even help with the recruiting pitch.
The Rams aren’t desperate for help on the defensive line with Donald, Michael Brockers and a combination of Greg Gaines and Sebastian Joseph-Day set to be Week 1 starters. Daniels, however, would take the D-line to another level thanks to his pass-rushing ability and experience in a 3-4 scheme.
With just over $6.1 million in cap space, the Rams might not have the money to sign Daniels right now, but it’s nothing a restructure or roster cut can’t fix. By restructuring Robert Woods’ contract, they could free up another $3.1 million.
At the very least, Les Snead should pick up the phone and give Daniels a call to gauge his interest. Who knows, dangling the idea of playing alongside Donald and reuniting with Matthews could be enough to get a deal done.
