RAMS in the Spotlight

Defense: the Defensive Line & Linebackers

This is the third in a series of positional analyses of the current state of the Rams...

The Rams defensive line is perhaps the only area on the team that has suffered even more criticism this offseason than our young offensive line. The Rams were 5th worst in the league last year in sacks and must find a way to get to the quarterback to take some pressure off the secondary if they hope to be successful in 1998.

The Tackles

Perhaps the toughest loss of the offseason from a personnel standpoint was the flight of one of last year's big surprises, DT Bill Johnson. Johnson was a late pickup in 1997 and was not projected to start until just one week before the season. Big Bill performed well above expectations, however, leading the league in stuffs behind the line. The Rams hope BJ's shoes can be filled by FA acquisition Ray Agnew, most recently of the NY Giants. Ray is an 8 year veteran who was a top ten draft choice out of college, but he has been only a spot starter for most of his NFL career. Nonetheless, there is good reason to believe that Ray could be a pleasant surprise in the mold of Johnson last year. Agnew is a tough run stopper who lacks polished pass rushing skills, but his career stats are almost a mirror image of Johnson's. Ray has performed very well in camp and he's a BIG reason that the Rams' run defense has looked so improved this preseason. The Agnew signing could make Dick Vermeil look like either a genius or a goat, depending on whether he can excel in the Rams system as Charlie Armey believes he will.

Agnew is projected to start alongside returning Rams favorite D'Marco Farr. D'Marco is undersized for a DT, but has shown in the past that he can use his quickness to post big sack numbers if his partner on the line can help him break free by drawing some double coverage. Farr has had two consecutive down seasons after a stellar year in the Rams inaugural campaign in St.Louis. Vermeil stated during the offseason that he feels Farr would be best utilized only on passing downs. D'Marco's strength is his quickness coming off the line of scrimmage, but he gets wore down playing every down against much larger NFL Tackles, so look for him to come out during obvious rushing downs to preserve his speed for the pass rush.

Rotating into his place to clog the middle will be the other Rams FA DT pickup, 35 year old Joe Phillips formerly of the Chiefs. Joe is a BIG (310 lbs.) and DV is banking on him having some gas left in the tank. Joe may start and will see alot of action in short yardage situations where he is a LOAD against the run. His age shouldn't be much of a factor as he'll get alot of rest as well in the Rams' rotating defensive line scheme. Returning backup Jeff Zgonina, was tried briefly at OG during the offseason but was switched back to defense where he has a better chance of contributing. Zgonina needs to push the pocket on third downs in order to establish his value in the rotation and avoid being cast off in favor of someone younger with more upside rushing the QB. Also in the mix at DT are former Vikings 3rd rd. pick James Manley (320 lbs.), 2nd year player Corey Sears, who has been a real surprise late in camp, garnering 2 sacks in the preseason, and mean Bryan Robinson, who can play both tackle and end and made the team last year as an undrafted FA. Robinson could be a real sleeper someday, but that will probably be a year or so down the road.

The Ends

Defensive End is another position where the Rams will see a new starter in `98. Leslie O'Neal was cut during the offseason after leading the team in sacks due to personal differences with the coaching staff. O'Neal was a renowned whiner who refused to practice hard and DV sought to rid the team of this locker-room cancer.

He will be replaced by the Rams first round draft pick, Grant Wistrom from Nebraska. Wistrom won the Lombardi award for college football's best defensive lineman in his senior season and will be worked into the starting lineup as quickly as possible. He has put on about 20 lbs during the offseason in hopes of stacking up better against the run in the pros. Grant needs to get off to a quick start in order for the Rams to improve upon their sack totals from 1997, but he should benefit from practicing against vastly improved Orlando Pace everyday. In the preseason, Wistrom has played the run better than expected. He is very tenacious and just refuses to be pushed back out of the hole. That should allow him to beat out Jay Williams for the starting RE position sooner rather than later because Williams gets very little pass rush and the Rams desperately need Grant's speed coming from the corner. Wistrom is already starting with the Rams 1st string nickel package.

Lining up on the left side, opposite Wistrom, will be budding superstar Kevin Carter. Carter has had 3 solid years in the league, but he is just waiting to have his real breakout season and this could be the year. The Rams need Kevin to improve upon his respectable sack totals and be a leader on the Rams defensive line in 1998. Carter is already one of the league's premier run stuffing defensive ends. Don't expect to see many teams successful running right against the Rams with Carter at LE. Carter has bulked up alot in the offseason as well and doesn't seem to have lost any quickness... he's recorded two sacks in the first three preseason games.

The Linebackers

The greatest upgrade on the entire Rams team this year should be at MLB, where All-Pro caliber run stuffer Eric Hill was signed during the offseason to solidify the heart of the Rams D against the run. Last year's starter Robert Jones was cut in the offseason despite leading the team in tackles in 1997... he rarely managed to stuff opposing RB's in the backfield despite playing up on the line of scrimmage often, most of his tackles came in pursuit after back breaking 4 or 5 yard gains. Eric Hill along with Agnew & Phillips should make it ALOT harder to run between the tackles on the Rams in 1998. Hill's age should be offset by the excellent play of backup MLB Lorenzo Styles. Lorenzo started two preseason games in Eric's absence and he shined, showing a great ability to read and to make plays up on the line of scrimmage and in the backfield. Look for Lorenzo to get more playing time. He is also the Rams top backup at both OLB positions.

At OLB, the Rams are set. They return two quality starters from last season in Mike Jones and Roman Phifer. Jones proved that he was for real last year coming to STL via Oakland during free agency last year. Mike is a relentless pursuant and is exceptionally skillful in coverage for a linebacker. Phifer had what some considered an off year in `97, finding himself up on the line of scrimmage on the strong side taking on the tight end, whereas most of his previous experience had been as a weak side backer where his skills playing "in space" resemble those of Jones. Look for Roman to adjust to his role in this his second year in the Rams system, he will be playing for money as well as he is set to be a free agent at the end of the year.

One other guy who could see significant minutes in 1998 in situational pass rushing schemes is 3rd round draft choice Leonard Little from Tennessee. In perhaps the shrewdest move of the draft, DV leapfrogged the Steelers who were known to LOVE Little and steal the talented speed rusher right out from under them. Little is still a bit small to take on big OT's on the line, so look for him to be used in scenarios in which he will play as a rush linebacker in space ala Kevin Greene. The Rams have expirimented in the preseason with 3-4 formations in which Little and 2nd year LB Charlie Clemons play stand up end, flanking 2 or 3 down linemen, and they've shown the ability to collapse the pocket with their speed.

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