While Wade Phillips was at the helm as the Rams’ defensive coordinator, there were too many instances where Los Angeles was gashed on the ground. The run defense simply wasn’t up to par, particularly in 2017 and 2018.
The front office and coaching staff have put an emphasis on stopping the run this offseason with their approach to free agency, though. Even though their best run defender Michael Brockers is gone, Los Angeles has brought in two defenders who are unquestionably better against the run than they are as pass rusher.
Leonard Floyd is an edge rusher, but his best asset is being able to stop the run. He uses his length to keep from getting swallowed by blocks on the edge, allowing him to get off blockers and make stops at or near the line of scrimmage.
He’ll replace Clay Matthews as the strongside linebacker on the left side of the defense, immediately improving the Rams’ effectiveness against the run – even if they did sacrifice some pass-rush efficiency by letting Dante Fowler Jr. go.
A’Shawn Robinson will likely step in for Brockers at defensive end, and there’s no doubt where the strength of his game lies. He has just five career sacks in four seasons, but his performance against the run has been great.
At 6-foot-4, 330 pounds, he’s a space-eater who plugs up running lanes thanks to his size. In 2018, he was one of the best run defenders in the NFL, earning a run defense grade of 91.3, sixth among all interior defenders.
Losing Cory Littleton to the Raiders hurt the overall quality of the Rams’ defense, but they’ll likely replace him with someone like Micah Kiser, who’s more known for being a stout run defender than he is for his coverage.
While the Rams only allowed 4.1 yards per carry last season, good for ninth in the NFL, they were last in 2018 and 30th in 2017. It’s been a weak spot of the defense for a few years, but with Floyd and Robinson coming aboard, the team is emphasizing the importance of being able to keep opposing rushing attacks at bay.
