In the wake of Aaron Donald's retirement, the Los Angeles Rams spend their top two picks in this year's draft (and one next year) on the defensive line, looking to replace Donald's production in the aggregate. Some people aren't sold on the Rams' ability to do so.
Pro Football Focus ranked the top defensive lines in the NFL, with the Rams coming in at 23rd overall.
"The Rams will have to contend without Aaron Donald for the first time in a decade, and beyond the obvious impact that he brought with his production, they will experience life without every offense they face specifically game-planning for him every week. What does that look like when the attention usually reserved for Donald is shared around the rest of the line more equitably?
Kobie Turner was phenomenal in the second half of his rookie season, and the Rams are now absolutely loaded with youth up front, but that means inexperience and uncertainty, too."
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.
With an undersized group of starters in Kobie Turner and 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.
The Rams are currently relying on either Fiske and Turner playing roles that aren't suited for them or relying on players like Larell Murchison as a base defensive end, who has done little to prove he can be a starter. At nose tackle, Bobby Brown III has been solid against the run but has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. We haven't seen anyone prove they can fill the void left by Donald, but that doesn't mean they can't either.
Factoring in the outside linebackers doesn't change the math much for me either. Jared Verse is an elite-caliber player and should be the Rams' best edge rusher since Robert Quinn. The rest of the room has plenty to work on.
Michael Hoecht is a solid rotational rusher when he's not dropping into coverage every other third down, but the rest of the room is relatively unproven. Byron Young has plenty to work on with his game despite having a productive rookie season, and none of the young players behind them have proven much.
PFF having the Rams' defensive line this low feels fine right now, but they have plenty of upside to improve that ranking by season's end. I can understand the hesitancy to fully buy in without seeing it yet.
