The Los Angeles Rams have been an up-and-down team but are 5-5 and right in the thick of the NFC West Division being tied with San Francisco and Seattle while looking up to Arizona, who is 6-4.
This past offseason was a big one for General Manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay, especially on the defensive side, losing Aaron Donald to retirement and Raheem Morris to Atlanta to be the Falcons’ new head coach.
However, Snead and McVay have put their recipe together to put this team in a position to be in the playoffs for the third time in the last four years.
Of the team’s 10 draft picks from last April, about half of them are making a significant impact, including the team’s top three picks in Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Blake Corum as well as Kamren Kinchens, Beaux Limmer, and Joshua Karty.
Giving the young players impactful minutes, continues to translate, including going back to last year when the team reached the playoffs for the first time since winning the Super Bowl.
It’s time to grade the Los Angeles Rams’ top 5 acquisitions from the offseason.
Defensive End Jared Verse — Grade: A+
Defensive end Jared Verse marked the Rams’ first first-round pick since the team selected Jared Goff first overall in 2016.
Verse, who was drafted 19th overall last April, has elevated himself into NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year consideration with six sacks, which leads all rookies.
He is No. 2 on Pro Football Focus’ ranking of the best NFL rookies after Week 11, only trailing Las Vegas’ Brock Bowers, who was selected six spots ahead of Verse.
Verse, who has an 86.5 PFF grade, has 50 presses, which is fifth-best in the NFL. Per PFF, Verse is one of three defenders with an 80-plus grade in both pass rushing and run defense alongside Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt and New York Giants’ Dexter Lawrence.
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Defensive Lineman Braden Fiske – Grade: B+
Another newcomer is a familiar face for Verse in his former teammate at Florida State Braden Fiske, who was drafted in the second round.
Fiske, who is an interior defensive lineman and has played in the same spot as Donald, has not focused much on the expectations of his predecessor, but more on the present. Fiske has 28 pressures, which is the most among interior defensive linemen, according to Next Gen Stats.
Last week against New England, Fiske recorded 2.0 sacks, a forced fumble, two tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits. Fiske’s strip-sack immediately led to Matthew Stafford finding Puka Nacua for a 12-yard touchdown catch on the ensuing play to take a 13-7 lead in the second quarter.
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Running back Blake Corum – Grade: C
Blake Corum is a third rookie on this list as he has been Kyren Williams’ backup running back. Corum, who was drafted by the Rams in the third round last April.
Although Corum has yet to record his first touchdown, he has filled in when he has needed to for Williams. The Michigan alum has 28 carries for 101 yards while catching all four of his targets for 31 yards.
He has not been in the starting running back role yet, but Corum continues to show his growth in his opportunities when he needs to give Williams a breather. Corum has seen carries in each of the last six games, including last week when he had five rushing attempts for 21 yards and a reception for seven yards.
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Offensive Lineman Jonah Jackson – Grade: D
Offensive lineman Jonah Jackson has been the Rams primary non-rookie that has seen playing time. However, he has been limited by a shoulder injury that included being put on injured reserve earlier in the season.
Jackson, who spent his first four seasons with Detroit, has only played one game since the first two games of the season. That game was the Monday Night Football loss against Miami where he played all 70 offensive snaps in his return. However, he did not play a snap against New England last week.
That missed time with the shoulder injury has limited his playing opportunity as players, such as Limmer at center or the return of Steve Avila at left guard, have been able to step up in his absence.
It has reached the point where he has become the odd man out in the offensive line rotation right now.
However, that could easily change, and the 2021 Pro Bowler Jackson has to remain ready to seize his role again.
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Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo – Grade: Incomplete
When a team has a healthy quarterback in Matthew Stafford, on the surface there might not be much thought into the quarterback room.
However, the other play callers in the Los Angeles Rams quarterback room like Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett play a meaningful role behind the scenes.
Garoppolo, who began his career behind Tom Brady in New England before moving to San Francisco for six years and in Las Vegas last year, has yet to record a snap this year.
However, the 11-year quarterback has provided another voice with the 16-year veteran in Stafford in the meetings and on the sidelines.
Garoppolo’s impact has been “instrumental,” according to McVay as he was given a game ball for his work in his return to New England last week.
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