The Los Angeles Rams since winning the Super Bowl in the 2021 season have struggled to re-establish themselves as consistent contenders in the NFC and in the NFL. In the 2022 season the Los Angeles Rams had the worst season record wise that a team has ever had after winning the Super Bowl the previous year as the team finished 5-12 in the 2022 campaign. In the 2023 season the Rams got off to a very rocky start starting off the season 3-6 but then seemed to recapture the form of a Super Bowl contender finishing the season 7-1. With the sole loss being to the Baltimore Ravens in overtime on the road with the Ravens finishing with the best record in the NFL in the 2023 season. The Rams made the postseason in the 2023 season and lost by 1 point on the road to the Detroit Lions. An argument could be made that when the Ravens and Lions were rolling on all cylinders in the 2023 season that they were the two best teams in the NFL, even better than Kansas City. So, the Rams after they got over the rocky start in the early portion of the 2023 season, only proceeded to lose games by literally the smallest margins possible to the two best teams on the road. In the 2024 season, the Rams again got off to a porous start, beginning the season 1-4. For the remainder of the 2024 campaign the team however finished 9-3 and made the postseason again. The Rams beat down a 14-3 Minnesota Vikings team in the first round of the playoffs before eventually narrowly losing to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles on the road by one possession. The game between the Eagles and Rams in the divisional round was an epic matchup that went down to the wire. It was essentially the de facto NFC Championship game given how poor the Commanders looked in the actual NFC Championship vs the Eagles. #1 overall pick Super Bowl winning quarterback Matthew Stafford had the ball in his hands with about a minute left inside the Eagles 25-yard line in position to take the lead being down 6 points but came up just short at the end. The Rams certainly have to be wondering what if we did not commit two turnovers to the Eagles zero turnovers. What if we had executed slightly better on that last potential game winning drive. However, the Eagles as they have been the whole season were the superior team to their opposition as the Rams only held the lead for one instance in the whole game when they were up 7-6 after the teams had traded opening touchdown drives but Eagles kicker Jake Elliot missed an extra point. The Eagles also dominated the Rams in their sole regular season matchup by a final score of 37-20 as well. The Rams should take a lot of positives from their loss to the Eagles in the playoffs as they were the only team to play the Eagles tight in the postseason. Overall, since winning the Super Bowl in the 2021 season the Rams had a horrid 2022 season and got off to very rocky starts in the 2023 and 2024 seasons respectively. They, however, finished very strong in those two years before eventually coming up just short in postseason play to teams who were just better than them in the form of the Eagles and Lions. Going into the 2025 season the Rams need to start much stronger than they did in the 2024 and 2023 campaigns and they need to bolster their roster in key spots in order to reach the level of the Eagles and Lions who they came up just short to in the NFC.
On the offensive side of the ball the Rams are led by offensive minded head coach Sean McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford. Many are of the mindset that outside of Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid that the Rams combination of head coach and quarterback is indeed the strongest in the NFL as of now. In the 2024 season the Los Angeles Rams offensive ranks for the season can be found below.
Points per game – 20th
Yards per game – 15th
Offense grade according to Pro Football Focus – 9th
If you just see the marks that are above, one would certainly surmise that the Rams are just a mediocre offensive team. However, the very low standing in terms of statistics in particular the points per game total can be misleading as that is skewed in large part because of the team’s very weak 1-4 start to the season. Pro Football Focus graded the team’s overall offensive attack as a top 10 one in professional football. With arguably the 2nd best offensive head coach and quarterback pairing, the Rams should certainly rank higher in key offensive markers such as the ones listed above. A unit-by-unit analysis of the team’s offensive personnel can be found below which can provide insight into the areas that need improvement.
The offensive line of the Los Angeles Rams was a question mark for the team this past season and their offensive line rankings can be found below.
Rams Offensive Line Rankings 2024 Season
Pass blocking grade according to Pro Football Focus – 30th
Run blocking grade according to Pro Football Focus – 5th
Pass blocking efficiency – 23rd
Sacks allowed – 10th
A complete breakdown of each significant player on the Rams offensive line can be found below. In the below evaluation, I have provided each player’s respective offense grade that Pro Football Focus assigned them for the 2024 season. In addition to it I have provided my own subjective grade of the players that indicates how strong and productive they are in totality outside of just the 2024 campaign. This subjective grade is based upon career statistical output along with factoring in subjective grades that Pro Football Focus has given them on a yearly basis.
Rams offensive line starters
LT – Alaric Jackson – (18/87) offense grade in 2024 over 893 snaps, B to B-, free agent
LG – Steve Avila – (29/83) offense grade in 2024 over 596 snaps, C+ to B-
C – Beaux Miller – (35/43) offense grade in 2024 over 916 snaps, C to C+, 2024 6th rounder
RG – Kevin Dotson – (5/83) offense grade in 2024 over 1023 snaps, B+ to A-
RT – Rob Havenstein – (27/87) offense grade in 2024 over 683 snaps, B
Key offensive line reserves
T – Joseph Noteboom – (64/87) offense grade in 2024 over 220 snaps, C to C+, free agent
T – Warren McClendon Jr – (66/87) offense grade in 2024 over 331 snaps, C to C+,
G – Jonah Jackson – (28/83) offense grade in 2024 over 266 snaps, C+
G – Justin Dedich – (63/83) offense grade in 2024 over 205 snaps, C
G – Logan Bruss – (80/83) offense grade in 2024 over 195 snaps, C to C-
C – Dylan McMahon – (43/43) offense grade in 2024 over 66 snaps, D to D+, free agent
At left tackle the Rams primarily had Alaric Jackson start for the team at the position. Jackson is effective at the position for the Rams although inconsistent. As an undrafted player in the 2021 draft Alaric Jackson played little to no snaps as a rookie. In his sophomore campaign in 2022 the team elected to play him at guard but he was mediocre in the over 400 snaps he played at the position that season. In 2023 the team moved him to tackle but he struggled in his first season playing at that position in the NFL ranking below average in terms of both pass blocking efficiency and run blocking grade. In his second season playing tackle in the NFL in 2024, Alaric Jackson flourished however ranking (25/87) in terms of pass blocking efficiency and (19/87) in terms of run blocking grade missing only 3 games in doing so. Jackson is now a free agent entering the 2025 offseason so it remains to be seen how the Rams will handle their left tackle position going forward. At the left guard position the team’s primary starter was Steve Avila who was somewhat effective in the 2024 campaign as a 2023 second round pick. Avila’s career thus far in the NFL has been marked by inconsistency at the guard spot. In his 2023 rookie season, Avila ranked (23/58) in terms of pass blocking efficiency and ranked (44/58) in terms of run blocking grade. In the 2024 campaign, Avila ranked (48/83) in terms of pass blocking efficiency and (21/83) in terms of run blocking grade. In his first season he was above average as a pass protector but below average as a run blocker, in his second season he was below average as a pass protector but above average as a run blocker. The Rams are optimistic that in year 3 onwards he can put it all together in terms of an overall offensive lineman as a former second round pick. At the center position for the Rams, 2024 6th round pick Beuax Limmer appeared in 15 of 17 games for the Los Angeles Rams during this past regular season. Limmer struggled but was at times effective as a rookie ranking (31/44) in terms of pass blocking efficiency and (22/44) in terms of run blocking grade. The Rams are optimistic that he can take the next step going forward for the Los Angeles Rams at the position in year 2 onwards. Kevin Dotson appeared in 16 of 17 games for the Los Angeles Rams in the 2024 season at the right guard spot. Dotson throughout his career has been one of the better overall guards in the NFL and that trend continued in the 2024 campaign. As a pass protector Dotson has ranked as above average to well above average in terms of pass blocking efficiency in every single season he has played in the NFL. As a run blocker Dotson struggled in years 1-3 ranking below average in that category in each of his first three seasons in the NFL. However, the past two seasons he has ranked in the top 5 in that category among all qualified guards. At the right tackle position, Rob Havenstein has been the primary player for the Los Angeles Rams in the Sean McVay era dating back to the Jared Goff days. Havenstein is notorious for being an inconsistent but at times a very effective pass protector and being among the best run blockers at tackle in the NFL on a consistent basis. In 10 seasons in the NFL, Havenstein has ranked above average in terms of pass blocking efficiency on 6 occasions while ranking below average in that same department on 4 occasions. Havenstein as a run blocker has ranked in the top 15 in terms of run blocking grade on 6 occasions including in the 2024 season. Havenstein has also ranked in the top 3 in terms of run blocking grade on two occasions, including a #1 ranking on one occasion as well. Havenstein at the right tackle position serves as a microcosm for the Los Angeles Rams offensive line. Where he is highly effective as a run blocker but inconsistent and often ineffective in terms of pass protection. Just like the Rams were among the best run blocking lines in the 2024 season but struggled in terms of pass protection during the 2024 campaign.
Overall, the Rams offensive line has some bright spots but is an ordinary caliber unit in the NFL. Although they have 2-3 very good starters on the line in Havenstein, Dotson, and Jackson, those three players are not elite caliber. The remaining two starters on the offensive line are average and the team lacks the presence of high caliber reserve players as well. The Philadelphia Eagles and the Detroit Lions are the class of the NFC and have arguably the two strongest offensive lines in the NFL. If the Rams wish to reach that level in the 2025 season, they will need to upgrade their offensive line with their cap space which currently ranks 15th in the NFL along with utilizing their draft capital to address the offensive line as well.
I conducted a similar analysis of the Rams key skill position players for the 2024 season and heading into the 2025 campaign as I did for the offensive line which can be found below as well.
Rams key skill position players
WR1 – Puka Nacua – (1/110) offense grade in 2024, A to A+
WR2 – Cooper Kupp – (49/110) offense grade in 2024, B, on trading block
WR3 – Jordan Whittington – (21/110) offense grade in 2024, B to B+ in limited snaps
WR4 – Tutu Atwell – (48/110) offense grade in 2024, B to B-, free agent
HB1 – Kyren Williams – (34/58) offense grade in 2024, B
HB2 – Blake Corum – (27/58) offense grade in 2024, C+ so far
TE1 – Tyler Higbee – (17/45) offense grade in 2024, B to B+
TE2 – Colby Parkinson – (30/45) offense grade in 2024, C+
The skill position players of the Los Angeles Rams were the strong suit of the offensive attack for the team during the 2024 season. The Rams wide receivers in the Sean McVay era are always very strong led this past season by Puka Nacua and 2024 breakout player Jordan Whittington. Nacua after having a superb rookie season where he accumulated nearly 1500 yards with a (10/102) offense grade, improved upon that in his 2nd season in the NFL. In year 2, Nacua despite missing 6 games, accumulated nearly 1000 receiving yards and was ranked 1st among all wide receivers in the NFL in terms of an offense grade. Cooper Kupp again had a productive season for the Los Angeles Rams although he is getting up there in age and is proving to be a very injury prone player missing 5 or more games for the third consecutive season. Kupp allocated for over 700 yards this past season and was graded (49/110) among all wide outs in terms of an offense grade during the 2024 campaign. Due to Kupp’s increasing durability concerns, him getting up there in age, and his decreased production, the Rams are actively seeking a trade for him. In addition to Kupp’s age, durability concerns, and decreased production, the Rams are also seeking to trade him because of the emergence of other young wide outs on the team as well. The main wide receiver I am alluding to who falls under this umbrella is 2024 6th round pick Jordan Whittington. In 8 games he appeared in as a rookie in 2024 his statistical production was meager as he did still play behind the likes of Kupp and Nacua at the position. He was only able to amass 293 receiving yards as a rookie but Pro Football Focus graded him (21/110) in terms of an offense grade among qualified wide outs during his rookie season. Head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead are optimistic and somewhat certain that Whittington can replicate a similar level of production over a larger sample size in place of a soon-to-be traded Cooper Kupp as a legitimate #2 wide out in the NFL. The improvement of 2021 second round pick Tutu Atwell in addition to Whittington is another reason Kupp is on the trading block. Atwell has been inconsistent in the NFL as a former high draft pick. As a rookie in 2021, Atwell played only 10 snaps, in the 2022 season Atwell logged nearly 300 yards while being graded (44/103) in terms of offense grade, in the 2023 season he logged nearly 500 yards while being graded (64/102) in terms of an offense grade, in the 2024 season he logged over 500 yards and was graded (48/110) in terms of an offense grade. As a former second round pick Atwell has certainly not been a bust, but he has not quite lived up to expectations thus far and the Rams are optimistic he can begin to do that taking a larger load of snaps in place of the soon to be traded Kupp. The tight end position for the Los Angeles Rams has been a concerning point for the team in recent years. Although they do get some solid production from the likes of Tyler Higbee on a year-to-year basis, the team has lacked impact players at the position for some time now. In the 2024 season the Los Angeles Rams leading receiver at the tight end spot logged only 294 yards for the season. The Rams also did not have another player at the position log 100 yards receiving for the 2024 campaign. Colby Parkinson logged 294 receiving yards for the Los Angeles Rams during the 2024 season and was graded (30/45) in terms of an offense grade among qualified tight ends during the 2024 campaign. As stated previously no tight end reached even the 100-yard mark during the 2024 season with usual #1 tight end Tyler Higbee appearing in only 3 games and logging only 8 receptions during the 2024 season. Higbee usually gives the Rams very solid but not spectacular production at the tight end spot since being drafted by the team in 2016. Since 2019 when he began to emerge as the team’s primary tight end and up until the 2024 season which was cut very short due to injury. Higbee logged between 495 and 734 yards every single season for the Rams while being graded above average in terms of an offense grade on 3 of 5 instances including being graded as high as (3/44) in terms of an offense grade among qualified tight ends on one instance as well. Higbee is a solid to a very good player when healthy and when he returns from injury next year, he will complement the Rams offensive attack quite well in my estimation. At the running back position, a similar story of solid but not spectacular production continues to persist for the Los Angeles Rams. Running back Kyren Williams has been the leading rusher out of the backfield the past couple of years for the Rams and has been effective in doing so for the team. Kyren Williams, who was a 2022 5th round pick, logged only 35 attempts as a rookie but saw a far more increased snap load the next two seasons as the team’s leading running back. In the 2023 season, in over 200 attempts Kyren Williams accounted for 5.0 yards per attempt while being graded (11/60) in terms of an offense grade among qualified running backs. In the 2024 season, Kyren Williams took a step back as the teams leading running back although he did accumulate nearly 1300 rushing yards but this time he was graded (34/58) in terms of an offense grade among qualified running backs. It still remains to be seen if Kyren Williams is a true #1 running back or a high end #2 running back in the NFL. Perhaps the Los Angeles Rams should seek the presence of a superstar running back along the lines of a Saquon Barkley or a Derrick Henry to allow Williams to thrive in a #2 halfback role. Complementing Kyren Williams out of the backfield in the 2024 season was rookie Blake Corum who struggled in his first NFL season. The 2024 third round pick was only able to account for 3.6 yards per attempt and 58 total receiving yards out of the backfield in his rookie season. But Pro Football Focus graded him (27/58) in terms of an offense grade among qualified running backs in 2024.
The Rams skill position players are led by an excellent wide receiving unit led by Puka Nacua who is in the definitive discussion for being the best overall wide out in the NFL. With the impending trade of Cooper Kupp, the Rams are counting on the likes of young wide outs Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington to perform at a high level on a more consistent basis. Both those players have shown a lot of promise and/or were high draft picks at one point so the Rams are optimistic that they can thrive with an increased snap count. The tight end and running back positions for the Los Angeles Rams are led by solid but not spectacular players in Kyren Williams and Tyler Higbee. But neither of those players are standouts at the position and perhaps the Los Angeles Rams should look into acquiring a marquee player at one or both of those spots to complement their offensive arsenal.
Overall, on the offensive side of the ball the combination of Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford remains one of the premier combinations of offensive head coach and quarterback in professional football. Even with the recent Super Bowl triumph of Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts who even beat McVay and Stafford on their way to winning it all. I still slightly prefer the combination of McVay and Stafford as a head coach + quarterback combination in the NFC over anyone else in the conference at this point including the Eagles. From an offensive personnel standpoint outside of the quarterback position the Rams are neck and neck with the Eagles in terms of a receiving core. The Rams this offseason should look into upgrading their offensive line and/or their running back unit which although was solid this past season was certainly not in the same class as Philadelphia. As the Eagles combination of offensive lineman and running backs was arguably the best in the NFL over the 2024 season on their way to winning the NFC over the Rams, and eventually the Super Bowl as well.
The defensive side of the ball for the Los Angeles Rams was far more concerning than the offensive side of the ball this past season for the team. The team’s defensive ranks for the 2024 season can be found below.
Points per game allowed – 17th
Total yards per game allowed – 26th
Defense grade according to Pro Football Focus – 18th
As you can see from the above data, a story of mediocre play on the defensive side of the ball unfortunately negatively affected the team in the 2024 season. They were below average in both yards and points per game allowed in the 2024 season with Pro Football Focus grading them below average as a defense in totality as well. There were some strong points however as the Rams were able to generate among the better pass rushes in the NFL last season as Pro Football Focus graded them 10th in pass-rush grade and Los Angeles accumulated the 5th most sacks in the league in 2024. The defensive line naturally accounted for the highest percentage of those sacks and pressures which comprised the pass rush of the team. I have conducted an evaluation of the team’s defensive line similar to what I did for the offense of the team. With their 2024 defense grade being listed in addition to me assigning each player a subjective grade based upon how strong of players I deem them to be in general outside of just 2024 based upon yearly statistical production and yearly grades assigned to them by Pro Football Focus.
Rams key defensive lineman
ED1 – Byron Young – (85/135) defense grade over 844 snaps in 2024, C+ to B-
ED2 – Jared Verse – (9/135) defense grade over 833 snaps in 2024, A, so far as 2024 first round pick
ED3 – Michael Hoecht – (77/135) defense grade over 639 snaps in 2024, C to C+, free agent
DL1 – Kobie Turner – (18/146) defense grade over 834 snaps in 2024, A to A-
DL2 – Braden Fiske – (79/146) defense grade over 662 snaps in 2024, 2024 second rounder, B to B+ so far, elite pass rushing production but poor run defender thus far
DL3 – Bobby Brown III – (50/146) defense grade over 472 snaps in 2024, B, free agent
DL4 – Tyler Davis – (100/146) defense grade over 298 snaps in 2024, C
DL5 – Neville Galmore – (115/146) defense grade over 263 snaps in 2024, D+ to C-, free agent
DL6 – Desjuan Johnson – (42/146) defense grade over 120 snaps in 2024, C+
As you can see from the above data the Rams defensive line is talented as they have multiple A caliber players on their defensive front with multiple B caliber players in addition to it. The Rams also have some young players on their defensive front who are in line to improve as well. 2023 third rounder Byron Young has logged defensive grades that are below average in each of his first two NFL seasons. However, Byron Young really struggled rushing the passer in year 1 having just a (42/55) pass rushing productivity ranking but he really improved on this mark in year 2. Byron Young took that (42/55) pass-rushing productivity ranking in year 1 and turned it into a (34/123) ranking in his second season in the NFL. The low overall defense grades that he had in both year 1 and year 2 is why he only warranted a grade in the C+ to B- range and not higher. Byron Young has also accumulated 17 sacks in his first two NFL seasons, 8 in year 1 and 9 in year 2, which is not easy to come by. Young going into year 3 after improving noticeably from year 1 to year 2 is in line to improve once again and can perhaps take a leap into the B to B+ range or higher going forward. 2024 second round pick Braden Fiske although being graded just (79/146) in terms of a defense grade in his rookie campaign had a strong rookie season. Fiske finished the season being graded (6/125) in terms of pass rushing productivity which is elite production in terms of a pass rush. He was graded so lowly because as a rookie he struggled mightily defending the run ranking among the worst defensive players in the league in terms of run defense. This is certainly a correctable issue that I imagine Fiske will improve upon in year 2 onwards. He already ranked among the best pass rushers in professional football as a rookie and there is no reason to believe that that trend cannot persist for the remainder of his career. If Fiske can clean up the run-defense going forward he will certainly take the leap into being graded as an A caliber player among the best defensive lineman in the sport. If the Rams can see improvement from a few young defensive lineman in 2025 and if they can also add a nice player or two in the offseason, the Rams defensive line will rank among the premier defensive lines in the NFL in 2025. As the Rams in 2024 ranked top 10 in terms of pass rush grade and were 5th in sacks accumulated as well without the above occurring as of yet. The linebacking unit for the Rams rounds out the front seven and I conducted a similar analysis of that unit for Los Angeles which can be found below.
Significant Los Angeles Rams linebackers
LB1 – Christian Rozeboom – (64/92) defense grade in 2024 over 828 snaps, C
LB2 – Troy Reeder – (69/92) defense grade in 2024 over 372 snaps, C to C+, free agent
LB3 – Omar Speights – (40/92) defense grade in 2024 over 419 snaps, B to B- thus far as 2024 undrafted rookie
LB4 – Jake Hummell – (11/92) defense grade in 2024 over 74 snaps, B+ to A- in very limited NFL snaps thus far as undrafted 2022 player, free agent
As you can see from the above data, the Los Angeles Rams fielded one of the weaker linebacking units in professional football over the 2024 season. The teams first two linebackers were below average in terms of a defense grade over the 2024 season and the production they had in 2024 was akin to that they had in years prior as well. The teams #3 and #4 linebackers however are both young players who have been productive in limited time in the NFL thus far. Two of the key Rams linebackers are free agents entering the offseason and the team should make a concerted effort to improve this unit if they want their defense to be on the level with the Eagles and Lions in the NFC next season. The Ram’s run defense was ranked 22nd in terms of rushing yards per game allowed and Pro Football Focus graded the Rams as having the 14th best run defense in professional football over the 2024 campaign. Despite the defensive line being so strong the Rams still had an average caliber run defense which is primarily due to the mediocre linebacker play that they got in 2024. The Rams secondary also was a concern for the team and I conducted a similar analysis for that unit which can be found below as I had done previously.
Significant Los Angeles Rams secondary players
CB1 – Cobie Durant – (68/128) defense grade over 777 snaps in 2024, C+ to B-
CB2 – Darious Williams – (84/128) defense grade over 765 snaps in 2024, B to B+
CB3 – Ahkello Witherspoon – (74/128) defense grade over 493 snaps in 2024, C+, free agent
CB4 – Tredavious White – (110/128) defense grade over 403 snaps in 2024, B-
S1 – Quentin Lake – (64/104) defense grade over 1070 snaps in 2024, C+
S2 – Kamren Curl – (40/104) defense grade over 980 snaps in 2024, B to B+
S3 – Kamren Kinchens – (37/104) defense grade over 514 snaps in 2024, 2024 third round pick, B to B+ so far
S4 – Jaylen McCollough – (66/104) defense grade over 336 snaps in 2024, undrafted 2024 rookie, C so far
S5 – John Jonhson III – (2/104) defense grade over 59 snaps in 2024, B to B+, free agent
As you can see from the above data the Rams secondary was very weak in totality this past season and patching up the secondary should perhaps be the biggest point of emphasis this offseason for the team. Every last starter in the secondary with the exception of Kamren Curl was graded as below average in terms of a defense grade according to Pro Football Focus. However, there are some positive takeaways that can be had from this. Darious Williams typically grades as above average to well above average in terms of a defense grade among qualified corners in the NFL. He, however, was graded as below average in that department during the 2024 campaign and the Rams can expect him to rebound next season. Safety Quentin Lake who was drafted before the 2022 season barely logged any snaps as a rookie and then spent the vast majority of his second season in 2023 at the cornerback position. So, 2024 was the first year he logged substantial snaps at safety in the NFL and he did indeed struggle. So the Rams can expect him to improve going into potentially his second full season at the position. Tredavious White who is often injured at the cornerback position including in 2024 is productive when healthy. White’s production was very subpar this past season for the Rams logging a (110/128) defense grade missing a large portion of snaps due to injury. But if he is healthy next season the Rams can expect him to be above average if not well above average in that department which he usually is in terms of defense grade when healthy. 2024 third rounder Kamren Kinchens played well in a reduced snap role as a rookie and the team can expect him to improve in an increased role in his second season in professional football. The Rams pass defense was 20th in terms of passing yards allowed over the 2024 season and Pro Football Focus graded the Rams as 23rd in terms of coverage grade as well. That is very mediocre by any stretch and the Rams pass defense will need to improve in 2025 if Los Angeles wants to compete with the likes of the Eagles and the Lions in the NFC next season. Addressing the lack of talent in the secondary should be a key point of emphasis this offseason for the Rams if not the primary point of emphasis this offseason for Los Angeles.
Overall, on the defensive side of the ball the Ram could really use some work this offseason. The defensive line is very talented as the Rams were top 5-10 in key pass rushing markers during the 2024 season. But the defensive line was certainly not in the discussion among the truly elite units in professional football last year as a result of the underdevelopment of some young players primarily. Those few young players will likely improve next season and the Rams defensive line can expect to take the next step forward if that were to occur especially if the team were to make some key acquisitions as well. The rest of the defense is highly concerning as the lack of talent in the linebacking core and the secondary is indeed alarming. Ranking 15th in the NFL in cap space, the Rams offseason should revolve around improving the talent on the remainder of the defense outside the defensive line. Along with using draft capital to address those key areas as well. The Ram’s defense is coordinated by Chris Shula who is going into his second season as the team’s defensive coordinator after the previous two defensive coordinators left to become head coaches. The Rams can expect to see an improvement on the defensive end based on him going into his second year heading into the 2025 campaign.
Overall, the Los Angeles Rams have struggled to fully re-establish themselves as contenders since winning the Super Bowl. Going 5-12 the year after and then starting off the next two seasons 3-6 and 1-4 respectively. In my estimation they still have the strongest combination of head coach and quarterback in the NFC. They gave the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles easily the most trouble out of any team this past postseason. As Stafford had the ball inside the Eagles 25-yard line with a little over a minute left in position to take the lead before coming up just short. While no other team in the playoffs came within a possession of Philadelphia. From a head coach + quarterback standpoint, and from a receiving core standpoint, the Rams are neck and neck with the now Super Bowl champion Eagles. The Rams will need to upgrade their defense, their offensive line, and their running back room in order to put themselves in position to come closer to what the Super Bowl champion Eagles have.
