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3 reasons why LA Rams OLB Chris Garrett is ready for a larger role
Being drafted by the LA Rams to rush the passer may sound like a dream opportunity for an NFL rookie until you begin to look at the details of the job. But...
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3 reasons why LA Rams OLB Chris Garrett is ready for a larger role
Being drafted by the LA Rams to rush the passer may sound like a dream opportunity for an NFL rookie until you begin to look at the details of the job. But for a rookie from a small college football program like outside linebacker Chris Garrett, Every moment of every day at training camp, preseason, and practice is 100 percent auditioning for the coaching staff. And that can take its toll on a young man who is acclimating to an entirely new life, team, coaching staff, and city.Garrett was added to the team with the 252nd pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, a young man whose athleticism was off the charts, but whose background left a void of experience in facing top competition. That left the unanswered question that remains wholly answered to this day: Is Chris Garrett that good, or was his collegiate competition that bad?
His dominance in college is undeniable. He averaged better than a quarterback sack per game. He was dominating in a way that is seldom seen. And when he played for the LA Rams in the 2021 preseason, he literally took over the game. But then, in the season, he never seemed to show up on the field.
He was derailed when he contracted COVID-19 and was hit a bit hard as a result. That sidelined him for three weeks, perhaps the most critical period for a young rookie. We believe that will change this year. Why? We came prepared, and here are our top three reasons.
Reason III – He’s familiar with the routine
One year later, he is healthy and no longer a wide-eyed rookie. He will get a full training camp and will be included in personnel packages. Why? Well, basic onboarding. He is no longer subject to tours to find his way around the LA Rams facility. He knows who the coaches are and where their offices are located. He’s moved to his new location and had an entire year to learn the lay of the land.
This year he can focus on the football field, and not spend so much time trying to learn and absorb so many details about his surroundings. And the bonus to all of that is the simple fact that he already has a year of LA Rams football under his belt. He may not have seen much action on the football field in 2021, but that was as much about being derailed from his rookie development track as anything.
He’s the type of player who will not be tasked with stuffing the run. He’s a pass-rushing thoroughbred and will find himself going into games as part of a pass defense package initially.
Reason II – He’s too good not to step up
He didn’t see the field much early in 2021 because he was just not ready. Then he was injured, er, placed on the COVID-19 Reserve List. Because he was hit rather hard, he was quarantined for more than three weeks. That’s not just in a cast on the sidelines, mind you. That is bed rest, hanging out in a hotel room, and basically doing nothing related to football.
That’s a tough task for a rookie, particularly when developing requires a series of staged roles and mastering each one in sequence. He was learning how to play alongside Aaron Donald, how to team up with Leonard Floyd, and he was learning DC Raheem Morris’s defensive scheme and philosophy for the first time, alongside all of his teammates.
No shame in playing behind NFL legends
Finally, he played behind veteran OLBs Leonard Floyd and Von Miller. He was hard-pressed to crack that lineup. Still, he was not encased in carbonite. He was practicing. He was learning from his veteran teammates. He was hitting the weight room, stepping onto the practice field, and improving a little bit each day in the process.
While young players do learn as much as they can in college football, the learning process does not stop there. Garrett proved in preseason that he has the speed, agility, power, and mindset to succeed at the position. After learning and training for a full year, he has leveled up and is ready to be tasked with more. While I won’t foolishly proclaim that what he did in college will be repeated in the NFL, I do think that he is too good to sit on the bench and be covered with moss.
Reason I – The LA Rams have the opportunity for him to do so
The LA Rams suffered two losses of players to the NFL Free Agency market in the 2022 off-season. Not only did the team fail to sign veteran outside linebacker Von Miller, but the team lost pesky rotational edge rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. That is not just a playoff starter gone, but a solid rotational player who had been a steady contributor to the team.
While there is little chance for Chris Garrett to jump from bench to starter, there is every chance for Garrett to be slotted into Obo’s vacated role. Obo appeared in 13 games, played 255 defensive snaps, and added 15 tackles, six quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, and 2.0 quarterback sacks. That is the opportunity for Garrett in the 2022 NFL season.
Rams Roster: A significant defensive contributor
Obo did not have a single defensive snap until October 2021, and Garrett’s first season may follow a similar track. He won’t be thrown to the wolves, and that means that he will need to prove himself more than ready to be on the football field. But once he gets out there, he will make a name for himself quickly.
I suspect that his production will be a bit episodic. He won’t have the steady type of production that is a clear indication that he has mastered the role. But he could put up multiple quarterback sacks/hits/ and pressures in a single game and then go a game or two without, throughout his first season. And that is just how it goes for young players breaking into the league.
He has lightning speed and may be the only player on the LA Rams roster who could beat Aaron Donald to the quarterback. But he will grow through trial and error. The good news is: The LA Rams will give him the opportunity to do so.
