Football is an evolving-game; and it takes a while for media-sites and people to catch-up.
The primary defensive front-6 or front-7 positions, in the current-NFL, can be summarized in three terms ...
D-Line, Edge and Off-Ball-LB.
OFFICIAL 2026 Rams Defense Thread
- Thread starter Memento
- Start date
-
To unlock all of features of Rams On Demand please take a brief moment to register. Registering is not only quick and easy, it also allows you access to additional features such as live chat, private messaging, and a host of other apps exclusive to Rams On Demand.
Football is an evolving-game; and it takes a while for media-sites and people to catch-up.
The primary defensive front-6 or front-7 positions, in the current-NFL, can be summarized in three terms ...
D-Line, Edge and Off-Ball-LB.
Those jerseys look so good. I wish this wasn’t AI generated and this is what they actually looked like
I wouldn’t go as far as that,but any given down the DC(green dot) can change things up.
Crazy to think about it,but just think of ONE PLAY last season WHY The Rams didn’t WIN The SUPERBOWL in 2025(6) ???
Just as an example of what The Rams D” is going to look like as well this season with all the player changes. Straight UP - BASE is going to be as solid as any NFL defense,but the communication & interlocking players should make it fun for Shula & Q. Add Landman in on it as well. The M- LBer or Wilber depth is a concern,or a position I’ll be interested in.
I guess in a way your right & you can call ME wrong or dumb.Going to my post about Johnson though is he can play ALL 3 of those.My point is I think you’ll see him less as a DLman & is a DE at heart,but he will be coming off the Edge more & occasionally playing even in a little coverage.
—Going futher imo we’ll see Stewart off the ball more than any of The Rams DLman(OLB).Like I said you can call me dumb,that’s just my perspective off things.
It’s been awhile sense I’ve seen The Rams play or rewatch any of there 2025 games.Look forward to seeing a practice or 2 coming up soon though.
lol- talk about creating a weakness to a strength from what’s in those jerseys is pretty sweet !
What do you mean AI , those photos were taking at their media day a week or so ago
Los Angeles Rams 2026 Media Day behind the scenes
Browse through photos from 2026 Los Angeles Rams Media Day.
www.therams.com
fearsomefour
Legend
No.
It shows Johnson backing up Garrett.
Johnson got reps out there last year.
That said, Id like Thomas to make the roster as the 5th edge.
What do you mean AI , those photos were taking at their media day a week or so ago
Los Angeles Rams 2026 Media Day behind the scenes
Browse through photos from 2026 Los Angeles Rams Media Day.
That photo is not in that bunch..unless I missed it. That photo you shared looks darker in the yellow and blue than any of the photos in that link to me. Maybe it’s just doctored up? Maybe I’m trippin?
Sean McVay has hired 4 defensive coordinators. Wade Phillips for 3 years, Staley 1, Morris for 3 and going on 3 with Shula. Phillips had decent defenses. Staley had the #1 defense in the NFL. Morris had a Super Bowl winning defense. And Shula had the only other Rams D under McVay to rank in the top 10 (points allowed).
As I look at the numbers.....TDs allowed on the ground and in the air, Interceptions, Sacks, 3rd Down%, RZ% and PPG....I see one commonality between Staley's D and the SB winning D. Pass TDs allowed. Each allowed 17 with Staley's leading the league and Morris' 2nd. Last year we allowed 26, though we only allowed 8 rushing TDs, the lowest during the McV era. So they went out and got more pass rush and secondary help.
In 2020 the Rams defense was ranked #1 in both yards and points. The average offensive ranking they faced was 17.8 with 4 of the 16 games being against top 10 offenses. So that's the defensive performance we aspire to match or better. They had 53 sacks, a level they haven't reached since. They allowed 16.8 PPG, allowing an NFL low 29 offensive TDs. They were #3 in 3rd down pct (35.4%) and #12 in RZ% (58.7%). That performance got Brandon Staley a head coaching gig after just 1 year as a DC. It also was AD's 3rd DPOY performance.
In 2021 the D ranked #15 in points allowed, #17 in yards. The average offensive ranking they faced was 17.2 with 3 in the top 10. They were 5th in total TDs, 3rd in interceptions and 3rd in sacks. They were also 8th in RZ% (29 TDs in 56 RZ trips). Their 19.7 PPG was the second lowest until Shula's D passed them last year. That was good enough to win it all. And I'd say, it's somewhat overlooked due to the abuse Morris got over his bend but don't break approach.
In 2025 the Rams defense was ranked #10 in points and #17 in yards. The average offensive ranking they faced was 15.4 with 7 of the 17 games vs top 10 offenses. They allowed 18.8 PPG and 34 offensive TDs (both the 2nd lowest in the McVay era). Their 3rd down pct was tick below that 2020 D (36.3%) and their RZ% was way better (46.2%). They had 2 more interceptions than 2020 and 6 less sacks, in 1 more game. But this was a defense with suspect CBs. It was also WITHOUT Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett!!
Staley's D had Donald, Jalen Ramsey, a 27 year old Darius Williams (who can forget his pick 6 vs Seattle in the postseason?), Leonard Floyd who had a career high 10.5 sacks, 11 TFL as well as 19 QBH (#2 career). Shula's D had Verse and Young, Kobie Turner and Nate Landman, Poona Ford and Lake. This year he has all of them sans Verse, replaced by Garrett and possibly
complimented by Aaron Donald, plus McDuffie and Watson, as well as a healthier Braden Fiske.
Looking at the comparisons of Staley's #1 D and Shula's D last year, with the improvements for this year, we should be expecting great things. Clearly, Shula's 2025 performed well, compared to the other 8 D's during the McVay era. 2nd best to Staley's. So why shouldn't we see the best defense during the McVay era? If the offense can put them in a good position week after week, and the D puts the offense in a good position quite often, this should be a lot of fun to watch.
And it will probably be Shula's last year as DC.
As I look at the numbers.....TDs allowed on the ground and in the air, Interceptions, Sacks, 3rd Down%, RZ% and PPG....I see one commonality between Staley's D and the SB winning D. Pass TDs allowed. Each allowed 17 with Staley's leading the league and Morris' 2nd. Last year we allowed 26, though we only allowed 8 rushing TDs, the lowest during the McV era. So they went out and got more pass rush and secondary help.
In 2020 the Rams defense was ranked #1 in both yards and points. The average offensive ranking they faced was 17.8 with 4 of the 16 games being against top 10 offenses. So that's the defensive performance we aspire to match or better. They had 53 sacks, a level they haven't reached since. They allowed 16.8 PPG, allowing an NFL low 29 offensive TDs. They were #3 in 3rd down pct (35.4%) and #12 in RZ% (58.7%). That performance got Brandon Staley a head coaching gig after just 1 year as a DC. It also was AD's 3rd DPOY performance.
In 2021 the D ranked #15 in points allowed, #17 in yards. The average offensive ranking they faced was 17.2 with 3 in the top 10. They were 5th in total TDs, 3rd in interceptions and 3rd in sacks. They were also 8th in RZ% (29 TDs in 56 RZ trips). Their 19.7 PPG was the second lowest until Shula's D passed them last year. That was good enough to win it all. And I'd say, it's somewhat overlooked due to the abuse Morris got over his bend but don't break approach.
In 2025 the Rams defense was ranked #10 in points and #17 in yards. The average offensive ranking they faced was 15.4 with 7 of the 17 games vs top 10 offenses. They allowed 18.8 PPG and 34 offensive TDs (both the 2nd lowest in the McVay era). Their 3rd down pct was tick below that 2020 D (36.3%) and their RZ% was way better (46.2%). They had 2 more interceptions than 2020 and 6 less sacks, in 1 more game. But this was a defense with suspect CBs. It was also WITHOUT Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett!!
Staley's D had Donald, Jalen Ramsey, a 27 year old Darius Williams (who can forget his pick 6 vs Seattle in the postseason?), Leonard Floyd who had a career high 10.5 sacks, 11 TFL as well as 19 QBH (#2 career). Shula's D had Verse and Young, Kobie Turner and Nate Landman, Poona Ford and Lake. This year he has all of them sans Verse, replaced by Garrett and possibly
complimented by Aaron Donald, plus McDuffie and Watson, as well as a healthier Braden Fiske.Looking at the comparisons of Staley's #1 D and Shula's D last year, with the improvements for this year, we should be expecting great things. Clearly, Shula's 2025 performed well, compared to the other 8 D's during the McVay era. 2nd best to Staley's. So why shouldn't we see the best defense during the McVay era? If the offense can put them in a good position week after week, and the D puts the offense in a good position quite often, this should be a lot of fun to watch.
And it will probably be Shula's last year as DC.
Last edited:
Of course last year's offensive rankings won't be the same this year but a preview of who we are facing, when it comes to opponents offense......15.4 collective ranking from last year (identical to this past season's schedule), with 6 in the top 10 (Seattle #3 X2, SF #10 X2, Buffalo #4, Dallas #7). Something to keep in mind, KC ranked #21 last year and they should improve if Mahomes plays 17 games. LAC ranked #20 but with McDaniels and 2 healthy OTs, they should improve significantly. So the collective ranking might be the best we've faced in 10 years. Gonna need this defense to be nasty.
You will have two variations concerning the Rams defense. The first is with AD99 and the other is without AD99. I'll say he is coming back. All the talk is going that way.
Shula's had the advantage of being around all those past McVay-era defensive coaches. Considering the weakness at CB last year, he did a solid job. The defense had Brandon Fiske playing on one leg. That hurt the pass rush. The defense faded as the season went on as opposing offenses made adjustments to take advantage of the Rams defensive flaws. The Rams have greatly improved the CB position and pass rush with the offseason player acquisitions. Shula and the Rams defense will be top-level in 2026.
Shula's had the advantage of being around all those past McVay-era defensive coaches. Considering the weakness at CB last year, he did a solid job. The defense had Brandon Fiske playing on one leg. That hurt the pass rush. The defense faded as the season went on as opposing offenses made adjustments to take advantage of the Rams defensive flaws. The Rams have greatly improved the CB position and pass rush with the offseason player acquisitions. Shula and the Rams defense will be top-level in 2026.
Last edited:
