Can Rams keep strong run defense without Aaron Donald?

AJ Schulte

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Can Rams keep strong run defense without Aaron Donald? image

Aaron Donald's retirement underlined the entire offseason for the Los Angeles Rams, forcing them to invest resources into areas they desperately needed to address. However, replacing Donald is no small feat, as his impact was felt everywhere. Donald was the entire personnel and let the Rams get away with lackluster edge rushers and safety play, as his presence altered the math. His presence dominated every facet of the opponent's game plans, and he in turn was the lynchpin of the Rams' defensive efforts.

Without Donald blowing up blockers routinely, can the Rams' defense continue its strong efforts in the run game?  Pro Football Focus divided each team's defense into four clusters based on the 2023 season, and the Rams fell into cluster 3, with a strong run defense but average overall performance due to their lackluster secondary. 

"The Rams' defense performed well in 2023, ranking ninth with a 69.1 PFF grade. Their coverage unit struggled, however, en route to a 58.2 grade to rank 31st."

The Rams recognized how poorly they played last season. Los Angeles invested heavily in free agency into their secondary to boost their poor performance with proven veterans instead of relying on youth. 

However, can the Rams' defense stay strong against the run without Donald? I've spoken about this in previous articles, but the Rams' defensive line is a chaotic group of overlapped players skill-wise, and I'm not sure what the vision is there. 

Donald changed the math and let the Rams get away with Kobie Turner as a 1T (not his best position) because Donald occupied at least three blockers on seemingly every play. He kept linebackers clean and blew up plays by himself with regularity.  

With an undersized group of starters in Kobie Turner & Braden Fiske and an unproven group behind them, I think this position is the one I'm most hesitant about projecting heading into the season. With how little value the Rams place on linebackers, call me concerned about how they can keep their run defense strong without Donald. 

AJ Schulte

AJ Schulte Photo

AJ Schulte previously was an analyst for Pro Football Network in 2019 before rejoining in September of 2023. He currently resides in Texas and has been producing content since 2018. Prior to his time at PFN, AJ gained experience covering the Denver Broncos with SB Nation’s Mile High Report and as part of the editorial staff with The 33rd Team. He spent time gaining formal scouting experience as part of RPM Data in 2023. AJ holds a Master’s degree in Sports Management from the University of Texas at Austin and is also working on gaining his certification in Sports Law.