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Explaining why LA Rams defense devalued linebacker position
The LA Rams defense focused the 2020 NFL draft upon defensive backs rather than interior linebackers. Here's some explanation of why:
ramblinfan.com
Bret Stuter
How is it that the LA Rams watched four starting linebackers depart in the off-season and didn’t bat an eye. How is it that the LA Rams last selected a linebacker in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft when the team chose Alec Ogletree in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft? How is it that after losing both starters at interior linebacker from 2019, the LA Rams did not sign anyone to the position in free agency? Then, the team drafted one interior linebacker in round seven?
If you said that the Rams defense is moving away from the standard 3-4 base configuration, give yourself a round of applause. If you said that the Rams are moving more rapidly to a defensive back-focused defense under new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, give yourself a standing ovation. That’s where it appears we are heading folks. Now, where’s the evidence?
Football Outsiders analysis
The analysts over at Football Outsiders had recently posted how NFL teams modified their defensive personnel groupings from the 2019 NFL season versus the 2018 NFL season. Their numbers show that dime defense (meaning, six defensive back sets) increased by 2.7 percent league-wide and the LA Rams were one of the league’s leaders with the use of a dime package 42 percent of the time. Let that sink in folks. The LA Rams ran defenses with six or more defensive backs 42 percent of the time in 2019.
The Rams defense ran their 3-4 base defense 34 percent of the time, good for the third-highest usage in the NFL. The team’s use of the dime package of 42 percent usage was good for the second-highest usage in the NFL. So what about that five defensive back nickel-package? The Rams saw fit to use that formation just 23 percent of the time, which was dead last, or the 32nd ranked usage in the NFL.
Defense discussions
The LA Rams defense, like that of any other NFL team defense, is categorized as either a 4-3 defense or a 3-4 defense. There are no other base categories recognized in the NFL today. The 4-3 refers to the base defense with four down linemen and three upright linebackers. Similarly, the 3-4 refers to the base defense with three down linemen and four upright linebackers. Any other version is considered a “sub-package”.
The defense can swap out a linebacker for a defensive back, placing five defensive backs on the field. This five-defensive-back defense is often referred to as the nickel-defense. If the offense goes with an empty backfield, some defenses counter with another linebacker/defensive back substitution, commonly referred to as the dime-package. As the NFL has modified the rules, offenses that once ran heavily, now pass heavily With the exception of an occasional team, average NFL offenses now count upon 65 percent of their offense as a result of their passing plays.
2018 to 2019 changes
The LA Rams defensive personnel groupings for 2018 was a base 3-4 at 43 percent of the time, which was second-most in the league. The team ran with the nickel package 34 percent of the time, which was the 29th-most frequent usage in the NFL. The Rams’ use of the dime package in 2018 was 22 percent of the time, good enough for the eighth-ranked usage of the formation.
We can see from the 2019 tables that the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks remain in base defense more often than any other teams in the league, while the San Francisco 49ers played nickel-package 70 percent of the time. The Rams eventually learned from experience that they needed to commit more players to blocker roles to face their NFC West rivals. And while we were there, we peeked in at the Denver Broncos. Curiously, the Broncos were a base 3-4 for 27 percent of the time, dime-package for eight percent of the time, and nickel-package a whopping 65 percent of the time. Why check the Broncos? What Denver’s defense did, the LA Rams defense will likely do in 2020.
Rams drafted DB over LB
In the 2020 NFL Draft, the LA Rams had a limited number of draft picks available. That shortfall of picks compared to the team’s shopping list meant that the team found it necessary to prioritize needs. The team clearly made defensive backs a priority, as the team selected hybrid defensive back, Terrell Burgess, at pick 104, and hybrid defensive back Jordan Fuller at pick 199. Both DBs were chosen before the Rams drafted linebacker Clay Johnston at pick 234. Who did the Rams leave on the board when they chose Burgess?
Well, the Rams left LB Akeem Davis=Gaither, Mykal Walker, Troy Dye, and Shaquille Quarterman on the board when they opted for Burgess. This is not to second guess the Rams choice, nor to judge. This exercise is simply to prove that the Rams’ interest in the interior linebacker position may be waning, as is the interest of many NFL teams in the role right now. The trend for NFL teams to run with six defensive backs is increasing rapidly in the NFL. So what does that mean for the LA Rams defense in 2020?
Popular Personnel packages
The LA Rams’ most popular personnel packages, stating with a dime package, will likely take the shape of the defensive line manned by DE Aaron Donald, NT A’Shawn Robinson, and DE Michael Brockers. The Rams linebackers will likely be OLB Leonard Floyd and OLB Samsun Ebukam. And
The Rams defensive backs will include Jalen Ramsey, Troy Long, Darious Williams, Terrell Burgess, John Johnson III, and Taylor Rapp. To convert this package to a nickel-package, swap out Terrell Burgess and swap in Micah Kiser. To convert the nickel package to the base, swap out Darious Williams and slide in Troy Reeder.
Of course, with rotations and a more focused depth chart, the names of some players may be interchangeable. The fact is that the Rams did not draft a linebacker higher in the draft because the team is deemphasizing the role of the linebacker in the 2020 defensive packages. The Rams got bigger and stronger on the defensive line and added defensive backs who can play both cornerback and safety. Why didn’t the Rams draft a linebacker with the 104th pick of the 2020 NFL Draft? By choosing Terrell Burgess, they essentially did.