The entire football world is descending on Indianapolis this week for the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine where prospects will work out in front of all 32 teams. Just a few weeks removed from their Super Bowl loss, the Los Angeles Rams’ brass will be in attendance to begin formulating their plan for the offseason.
Here are the position groups the Rams should be looking at closely this week.
1. Interior offensive line
The Rams will have the same two tackles they had last season, with Andrew Whitworth announcing that he would return for at least one more season. The real question for 2019 is now along the interior, as there’s a chance left guard Rodger Saffold departs in free agency. This is a very talented interior line class with plenty of top guards and centers to choose from. Even if Saffold does return, there are other reasons to consider an interior lineman early in the draft.
Right guard Austin Blythe had a surprisingly strong season overall, but he struggled mightily in the Super Bowl. A little competition for him wouldn’t hurt, either. John Sullivan was the weak link on the line all year long and is getting up there in age, so the Rams should be looking at centers as well.
Interior linemen to watch: Dalton Risner, Chris Lindstrom, Erik McCoy, Dru Samia, Elgton Jenkins, Ben Powers, Connor McGovern
2. Edge rusher
One of the Rams’ main weaknesses this past year was outside pass rush. Aaron Donald was often the Rams’ only source of getting to the quarterback and he was coming up the middle. The Rams rotated guys like Samson Ebukam, John Franklin-Myers and Matt Longacre to varying degrees of success on the edge.
The mid-season acquisition of Dante Fowler Jr. made things a bit better, but the Rams could still use some help outside. Fowler is also an unrestricted free agent, and there’s no guarantee he’s back next year. The Rams won’t have the chance to draft any of the top edge rushers, but odds are Les Snead looks to draft a second-tier outside linebacker with one of his first picks.
Edge rushers to watch: Clelin Ferrell, Jaylon Ferguson, Chase Winovich, L.J. Collier, Christian Miller, Anthony Nelson, Zach Allen, Wyatt Ray, Maxx Crosby
3. Cornerback
One of the Rams’ biggest question marks heading into the offseason is at cornerback. They could theoretically move on from both of their starting corners from last year, Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters. That’s probably unlikely, but there’s a chance Peters, in particular, isn’t in a Rams uniform next season.
Even if they are both back, Peters will be heading into the final year of his deal, and Talib is 33. The Rams should start looking toward the future at cornerback, and take a long look at this year’s class.
Cornerbacks to watch: Amani Oruwariye, DeAndre Baker, Amani Hooker, Trayvon Mullen, Justin Layne, Joejuan Williams, Blace Brown, Michael Jackson
4. Tight end
The Rams have been getting very little from their tight ends in the Sean McVay-era. Both Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett have shown flashes since entering the league, but neither has shown any consistency. An elite tight end could take the Rams’ offense to another level, and they should seriously consider drafting another.
The team reportedly considered trading Higbee last offseason, and they might feel Everett’s development is taking too long. This year’s tight end class is extremely talented, and the Rams should take a look even if they did draft Everett in the second round in 2016. Noah Fant from Iowa is a very intriguing prospect and an athletic freak who should blow up the combine, and his current projected draft slot of late in the first round is right where the Rams are picking.
Tight ends to watch: Noah Fant, Jace Sternberger, Irv Smith Jr., Isaac Nauta, Dawson Knox, Zach Gentry, Kaden Smith, Andrew Beck
5. Safety
Lamarcus Joyner is set to be a free agent, and it looks increasingly likely that Joyner will be elsewhere next season. If Joyner does indeed depart, the Rams will need to find a new starting safety to play opposite John Johnson III.
There will be a lot of free agents available, but the Rams could also easily find a starter in the draft if they want to save some money. The team was able to nab Johnson in the third round in 2017, which turned out to be a great value.
Safeties to watch: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Nasir Adderley, Juan Thornhill, Deionte Thompson, Darnell Savage, Malik Grant, Lukas Denis, Marquise Blair, Evan Worthington
