Pass rush in 2020

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AlphaRam

AlphaRam

Rookie
Joined
Mar 17, 2020
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101
What's the plan here? We've lost almost 20 sacks combined in Matthews and Fowler and replaced it with a guy who's career high in sacks, seven, was in his rookie season four years ago. We have Okoronkwo and Ebukam who will probably start opposite Floyd as of right now but they haven't shown me enough to think they're the type to get 10+ sacks either.

Do they draft a edge guy with the second rounder or move up for one? Or hope for the best with what we have.
 
I don’t know what it is or how it’s going to be achieved but I think they have a plan ... we always seem to make a move out of the blue
 
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I anticipate a dip, at least looking at the current roster. Floyd is stout but he's not Fowler. But the draft is still ahead too so we'll see how it looks once all that is done.

One nice thing here is our secondary looks quite good. Not elite at CB2 but we should be able to comfortably shut down 2 top weapons (Ramsey manned up on one, the other doubled). So if the run defense is stout and can keep teams in third and long I think we'll be happy with the defense overall (should be somewhere from 10-15 range if Staley is good).

IMO these guys are going to work hard at zone in camp. They were fuckin terrible zoning people up last season and need to improve there. But in overall defensive strategy you can have a very good defense without an elite rush simply by your secondary playing at a high level. I'm not too worried about that for that reason and we have Donald who definitely makes things easy for the others.
 
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I am excited for the new season on defense. More than offence in my opinion, defense is about scheme and fit. We have a new DC and a decent amount of turnover in our front 7. It will be very interesting to see how it plays out. I don't even want to begin to speculate. Phillips was a good DC but I feel had a bunch of players miscast, as he wanted to try and force players to fit his scheme, rather than the other way around. I have my fingers crossed that we might see an uptick on D, even with less heralded names on it now.
 
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A lot of unproven guys with upside on the roster. Obo, Polite and Holland might be able to form a nice rotation giving different looks. Also have Lawler coming back to compete for spot before the draft and UDFA's. Competition should be fierce at OLB to win a job besides Floyd and Ebukam.
 
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AlphaRam said:
What's the plan here? We've lost almost 20 sacks combined in Matthews and Fowler and replaced it with a guy who's career high in sacks, seven, was in his rookie season four years ago. We have Okoronkwo and Ebukam who will probably start opposite Floyd as of right now but they haven't shown me enough to think they're the type to get 10+ sacks either.

Do they draft a edge guy with the second rounder or move up for one? Or hope for the best with what we have.
Click to expand...


Keep in mind before last year Fowler only had 16 sacks in four years. Floyd has 14.5 sacks in his first four years. I think they move Floyd around so he will also be in coverage more on early downs. We still don't know what Staley's plans are but, I think he will be much more creative in using the front seven resulting in more sacks.

There is lots of young depth at the OLber/Edge position. Ebu had 4.5 sacks last year and should have more playing time resulting in more sacks. Obo did have 1.5 in very limited time. If Polite is working hard to get playing time he has a great first step and closing speed. Lawler. Carroway, Patrick and Holland round out the competition.

Keep in mind that Matthews sacks to me were coverage or clean up types not him beating his man type of sacks. Fowler had 10 games without a sack and 6.5 of his 11.5 in three games. Still good but, he missed some chances too. Let's not forget Aaron Donald and his sacks and effect on others getting sacks. An improved secondary will also help get pressure and sacks.
 
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Donald will make up for them with A-Shawn next to him. OL's will HAVE to block A-Shawn, who can take 2 on by himself. A-S will get some sacks as QB's try to step up to get away from AD99.
I am very excited to see more of Obo. That kid has speed like I haven't seen before on a Rams squad. And he can get low.
I don't know much about Polite but I assume he has potential as well.
Floyd could possibly be used as 3rd down rush LB and can stunt very well. He's long & has got serious closing speed, and will help shut down mobile QB's. His long arms help keep 2nd level OG's off of him. He'll have more of an impact in TFL's & run game than sacks but he'll get his I think.
 
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AlphaRam said:
What's the plan here? We've lost almost 20 sacks combined in Matthews and Fowler and replaced it with a guy who's career high in sacks, seven, was in his rookie season four years ago. We have Okoronkwo and Ebukam who will probably start opposite Floyd as of right now but they haven't shown me enough to think they're the type to get 10+ sacks either.

Do they draft a edge guy with the second rounder or move up for one? Or hope for the best with what we have.
Click to expand...
Should see some 2020 draft picks utilized towards this ER unit. Both probable starters Leonard Floyd & Samson Ebukam will be UFA's next year at this time. Rams do have a number of young untested ER's some might turn out to be very bright spots.

Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
Natrez Patrick
Justin Lawler
Jeff Holland
Jachai Polite

One of the above, Jachai Polite has some serious latent pass rushing skills if he figures out how to put them in operation.
 
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BonifayRam said:
I would think that you will see some 2020 draft picks utilized towards this ER unit. Both probable starters Leonard Floyd & Samson Ebukam will be UFA's next year at this time. Rams do have a number of young untested ER's some might turn out to be very bright spots.

Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
Natrez Patrick
Justin Lawler
Jeff Holland
Jachai Polite

One of the above Jachai Polite has some serious latent pass rushing skills if he figures out how to put them in operation.
Click to expand...

I feel like there is a lot of pass rush talent on that list. Personally I think Obo could eclipse Fowler’s numbers if he was given the same snap count.
 
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