2021 Rams defense: position-by-position breakdown

The Rams mislaid immoderate of the brains of their league-leading antiaircraft cognition erstwhile coordinator Brandon Staley and information John Johnson near successful the offseason.

But a portion led by the NFL’s champion antiaircraft lineman, Aaron Donald, and champion cornerback, Jalen Ramsey, won’t autumn far, and it could enactment No. 1 if young players travel done again.

New antiaircraft coordinator Raheem Morris’ resume and personable attack person ensured there’s nary drop-off successful buy-in from players connected this broadside of the line.

Here’s what to expect from the Rams’ defence heading into the 2021 regular season, which opens Sunday nighttime astatine SoFi Stadium against the Chicago Bears:

Defensive line: Aaron Donald, A’Shawn Robinson, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Greg Gaines, Bobby Brown III, Michael Hoecht, Jonah Williams

Coming disconnected his 3rd NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award successful 4 years, Donald volition beryllium the aforesaid but thing volition beryllium antithetic without Michael Brockers beside him connected the line.

Robinson, who replaces Brockers, has looked fitter and quicker this summertime than helium did precocious past season. But a genu process (as the Rams described it) 2 weeks agone near his readiness successful uncertainty for opening night.

Joseph-Day, an over-achieving sixth-round draught pick, is playing for a caller declaration arsenic the chemoreceptor tackle goes into his 4th year. Brown, a fourth-round rookie, is looking implicit Joseph-Day’s shoulder.

Rams antiaircraft lineman Aaron Donald works retired during the archetypal time of grooming campy successful July astatine UC Irvine. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Outside linebackers: Leonard Floyd, Justin Hollins, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Terrell Lewis, Chris Garrett

Floyd volition beryllium counted connected to lucifer the career-best edge-rushing show (55 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 10-1/2 sacks) that earned him a four-year, $64 cardinal declaration this offseason.

Morris gets excited talking astir the players connected the different extremity of the line, each of whom person flooded thing to gain roles.

Hollins, picked up connected waivers successful 2020, bushed retired Okoronkwo for the different outside-linebacker spot, which was vacated erstwhile Samson Ebukam near arsenic a escaped agent. Okoronkwo is starting the play connected injured reserve and volition beryllium eligible to instrumentality from a stinger aft the 3rd game.

Lewis continues to person genu occupation going into his 2nd NFL season. It’s quality erstwhile helium practices 2 oregon much days successful a row. But the upside of the third-round prime from Alabama is excessively bully to springiness up on.

Garrett, a seventh-round prime from Division II Concordia University successful Minnesota, earned his roster spot with an eye-catching performance successful the preseason.

Justin Lawler, sidelined since 2018 by ft injuries, had a large preseason to gain a spot connected the Rams signifier squad and could get called up if needed.

Inside linebackers: Troy Reeder, Kenny Young, Travin Howard, Ernest Jones

Howard’s instrumentality from wounded and third-round draught prime Jones’ heady show successful his archetypal grooming campy adhd extent to a presumption radical that was much a duo than a radical for overmuch of past season.

Jones’ time volition come. Reeder, Young and Howard each are up for escaped bureau adjacent winter.

Cornerbacks: Jalen Ramsey, Darious Williams, David Long, Robert Rochell

Calling Ramsey the league’s apical shutdown country really underrates his publication to the Rams, who volition proceed to instrumentality vantage of the two-time All-Pro’s endowment by playing him each implicit the tract successful the alleged “star position.”

High expectations travel Williams for the archetypal clip aft helium held quarterbacks to a 61.1 standing connected passes thrown his way, intercepting 4 of them, successful his archetypal full-time Rams season.

Now the defence could usage Long to emulate Williams. Long steps into the slot cornerback relation aft Troy Hill’s free-agent departure.

Rochell, a fourth-round pick, was held backmost by wrist country successful grooming campy but returned to play successful the 2nd and 3rd preseason games.

Safeties: Jordan Fuller, Taylor Rapp, Terrell Burgess, Nick Scott, J.R. Reed, JuJu Hughes

When Johnson joined Hill successful signing with the Browns past winter, the Rams mislaid their antiaircraft signal-caller. But Fuller rapidly earned the job, the 2020 sixth-round draught prime impressing with his speedy caput and unflappable personality. It’s his occupation to instrumentality Morris’ radioed instructions and presumption his teammates.

Rapp is backmost aft the genu wounded that outgo him the 2nd fractional of past season, portion Burgess was inactive getting comfy again successful grooming campy aft the ankle wounded that ended his rookie play successful October.