Don’t expect the Rams to take an inside linebacker early in the draft

Rams fans shouldn’t get hopes up of team picking linebacker early

Actions speak louder than words and this off-season the Rams actions have told us that they don’t plan on investing heavily into the inside linebacker position. There are a few reasons for this and I’ll explain.

The first thing to keep in mind is that the Rams currently have five linebackers signed to the roster that all have been on the 53-man roster at the same time. You have former third-round pick Ernest Jones who has become a rising star for the team, Christian Rozeboom who was just re-signed this off-season, Troy Reeder who was just re-signed yesterday, Jake Hummel and Olakunle Fatukasi.

Now, at first glance, many fans are going to be upset to see what many would say is only one good linebacker on the roster. However, there is more to it than just that. The Rams don’t run a base 3-4 or 4-3 defensive scheme. According to NFL Savant the Rams ran a 3-3-5 alignment which is three defensive linemen, three linebackers (including outside linebackers) and five defensive backs more than any other alignment. This means more than anything last year the Rams used a nickel defense which focused more on having an extra defensive back than it did a linebacker.

It’s not to say the Rams didn’t have that second linebacker next to Ernest Jones at all because they certainly did. However, with how much of a premium the Rams put into their star position which was manned by Quentin Lake and Cobie Durant last year, it’s worth defending why the Rams ultimately do not put as much stock into the linebacker spot. Admittedly, I wish they would to an extent, I felt they had a great opportunity in free agency to add to the room with players like Blake Cashman and Tyrel Dodson who were affordable and coming off breakout seasons. However, the Rams deemed that was not the way they wanted to go.

When the Rams brought back Troy Reeder yesterday it really showed how committed the Rams are to doing their own thing. Also, it’s worth noting that this is considered a much weaker linebacker class and its not just me who would say that. Top linebackers like Payton Wilson, Edgerrin Cooper and Junior Colson are all talented but will surely go on day two. With the Rams putting an emphasis on bringing back their guys from last year and spending extra on the secondary, I don’t foresee the Rams pursuing any linebacker prospect until at the very best day three.

There is also a chance the Rams bypass the position in the draft altogether. They have done that before after all. Keep in mind the Rams have their own way of doing things and it’s worked out for them. They won a Super Bowl having Troy Reeder as one of their starters and that’s the same player fans are all up in arms about being brought back. In the same breath, those same fans will tell you to trust McVay and Snead and yet not follow suit with this. When you look at the Rams approach at linebacker, it’s weaker than other teams that have spent tons of money on the position and have certainly reaped the rewards, I’m looking at the San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baltimore Ravens. However, when it comes to the NFL, the beauty of it is that you can win in all different ways.

The Rams have won by finding late round gems, trading away top picks for proven talent and developing undrafted rookies. Most notably undrafted rookies and late round gems at the linebacker spot. Troy Reeder, Christian Rozeboom, Jake Hummel, Cory Littleton and Travin Howard all come to mind. While some may have expected the departure of Aaron Donald to force the Rams to change their approach, it’s fair to suggest that’s still very much in the cards but I would look at the defensive backs as part of the new approach rather than linebackers.

It’s hard after all to get mad at the Rams who don’t run a traditional 4-3 or 3-4 anyway, for not drafting a linebacker. It’s even harder to get mad at them when they went out and added guys like Kamren Curl, Tre’Davious White and Darious Williams to the back end of their secondary which ultimately gives them so much versatility and plenty of options to deploy these guys however they see fit. Curl and Quentin Lake could be interchangeable in their roles and thus make the need for linebacker non-existent.