Most of the Los Angeles Rams’ offseason needs come on defense, especially with guys like Ndamukong Suh, Lamarcus Joyner and Dante Fowler Jr. set to hit free agency. As badly as it seemed the unit struggled in 2018, there were some position groups that performed particularly well.
Having already graded the offense, we now turn to the defense where we hand out final grades for the 2018 season.
Defensive line
Aaron Donald: 20.5 sacks, 25 tackles for loss, 41 quarterback hits
Ndamukong Suh: 4.5 sacks, 4 TFL, 19 QB hits
Michael Brockers: 1.0 sack, 4 TFL, 4 QB hits
The Rams tried to create a “super” defensive line by plugging Suh between Donald and Brockers, but it didn’t work out the way they expected for most of the season. Suh had a dry spell in the middle of the year, while Brockers rarely had his name called for making big plays.
Suh and Brockers stepped up in the postseason as the Rams began to play better against the run, but as a whole, it was an underwhelming campaign for both players. Fortunately, there was Donald to raise up the overall grade of the defensive line.
He would earn an A++ in our book, setting the single season sack record for a defensive tackle, winning Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in a row. It’s scary to think about what the Rams defense would’ve looked like without Donald up front. He was arguably the best player in the league this past season and elevated the entire defense, masking many of their biggest issues. Just take a look at this stat.
Grade: A-
Inside linebacker
Cory Littleton: 125 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 9 TFL, 4 QB hits, 3 INTs, 13 PBU, 1 TD
Mark Barron: 60 tackles, 1.0 sack, 3 TFL, 1 QB hit, 1 PBU, 1 FF
Ramik Wilson: 35 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 PBU, 1 FF
Barron got a late start due to injury, and for most of the season, he was at the center of the Rams’ struggles against the run. He was caught out of his gap assignments, missing tackles and playing poorly in the middle of the defense. He was a completely different player in the postseason, though, elevating his play to another level.
Littleton, on the other hand, was solid all year. Although he does struggle to get off blocks and missed his share of tackles, too, he made some really impactful plays. He can blitz, drop into coverage and spy quarterbacks, but teams took advantage of his inability to cover running backs out of the backfield.
Wilson filled in for Barron while he was out and while he didn’t make many highlight-reel plays, he was reliable at inside linebacker, especially against the run.
Grade: C+
Outside linebacker
Samson Ebukam: 3.0 sacks, 6 TFL, 6 QB hits, 1 INT (1 TD), 3 FF, 2 FR (1 TD)
Dante Fowler Jr. (8 games): 2.0 sacks, 4 TFL, 5 QB hits, 1 FF, 1 PBU
Outside linebacker was the Rams’ biggest hole heading into the season, and it showed throughout the year. Ebukam started 14 games but had just three sacks and six tackles for loss and really struggled to consistently rush the passer.
Fowler came over at the trade deadline and his postseason play was far better than the eight games he played in L.A. during the regular season. He was an upgrade over Ebukam, but even still, he didn’t win one-on-one battles enough.
There were a handful of times where he made huge plays, like his hit on Drew Brees to cause an interception. Still, he needs to consistently win his matchups if the Rams bring him back in 2019.
Grade: D+
Cornerback
Marcus Peters: 3 INTs (1 TD), 8 PBU, 43 tackles, 62.1 PFF grade (No. 78 CB)
Aqib Talib: 1 INT, 5 PBU, 1 FF, 1 FR, 23 tackles, 76.6 PFF grade (No. 20 CB)
Nickell Robey-Coleman: 1 INT, 4 PBU, 37 tackles, 3 TFL, 79.8 PFF grade (No. 13 CB)
The Rams secondary was a completely different story with and without Talib. When he was healthy, everyone played better. He, himself, had a strong season despite missing eight games due to injury. Talib picked off one pass and forced a fumble, breaking up five passes that came his way.
Peters was the biggest beneficiary of Talib’s health, performing far better as the No. 2 corner compared to the No. 1 guy. He improved when the Rams went to more zone defense, pulling down three total interceptions with one pick-six.
Robey-Coleman had a poor showing in the Super Bowl, but given his playing time, he was the Rams’ best cornerback in 2018. He ranked among the best nickel corners in the league, locking down opposing slot receivers not named Julian Edelman. Still, there’s room for improvement across the board.
Grade: C+
Safety
John Johnson: 119 tackles, 4 INTs, 11 PBU, 1 FF, 3 TFL, 2 QB hits, 83.7 PFF grade (No. 7 safety)
Lamarcus Joyner: 78 tackles, 1 INT, 3 PBU, 3 TFL, 1 QB hit, 73.8 PFF grade (No. 28 safety)
Johnson just keeps getting better, elevating his play in Year 2 after a stellar rookie season. He’s quickly become one of the best safeties in the league, showing he can play single-high, two-deep or in the box. Whatever’s asked of him, he typically succeeds in that assignment, particularly in covering tight ends.
Joyner didn’t have the same level of success, taking a step backward while playing on the franchise tag. He missed several tackles, was lost in coverage more than the Rams would’ve liked and didn’t provide much in the way of run support. Expect the Rams to move on from him this offseason.
Grade: B
