There’s less star power on the Los Angeles Rams defensive line this season than a year ago after the departure of Ndamukong Suh, but that doesn’t mean the unit is in worse shape. Suh was a disappointment for most of the regular season, struggling to consistently win from his new position at nose tackle.
Lesser-known players such as Sebastian Joseph-Day and Greg Gaines are in line to replace Suh, sliding in between Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers. They’re both more of a true nose tackle than Suh, but they also bring some versatility, as does the rest of the Rams defensive line.
Brockers said this week that each of the Rams’ D-linemen can play every spot up front.
“In our philosophy, we believe that we can play every position on the field,” Brockers said, via the Los Angeles Daily News. “There’s going to be instances where I’m playing nose and playing end and three (technique), so it really doesn’t matter. When you’re playing this 3-4, we can all play each one of the positions.”
The benefit of that position flexibility is that Donald can be freed up more easily. The Rams can move him to defensive end in an attempt to get one-on-one matchups, or he can remain at 3-technique with Brockers next to him at nose.
“You get to move around so if you’re getting double-teamed one place you can move around, maybe get some one-on-ones at another,” he added.
Those four players will get most of the attention up front for the Rams, but they’re not the only ones who will receive meaningful snaps. John Franklin-Myers can play defensive end, 3-technique or outside linebacker, giving Wade Phillips another chess piece on the front seven. Morgan Fox is back to his defensive end position this year after trying outside linebacker a season ago, while Justin Lawler and Trevon Young have similar versatility.
Los Angeles has the depth to field a solid rotation along the defensive line this season, which Phillips should be excited about.
