Despite an offseason focused on bolstering the offense, it’s the Los Angeles Rams’ defense that may define the early stages of the 2025 season.
Last year, the Rams’ defensive unit took time to find its rhythm. Early struggles stopping the run contributed to a sluggish start in 2024—a hole they ultimately climbed out of, but not without consequence. If they want to avoid repeating history, they’ll need to start fast this fall. With matchups against the Texans, Titans, Eagles, and Colts in the first four weeks, the test is immediate.
Defensive lineman Kobie Turner, one of the team’s emerging stars, knows exactly where improvement is needed.
“Over the course of this past year, what really hurt us was giving up too many big plays — especially big runs,” Turner said. “It wasn’t that we were getting gashed every play, but a handful of misfits or breakdowns cost us. Minimizing those explosive plays is key — that’s what the league is about now.”
Turner added, “Once we clean that up, the sky’s the limit. We’ve seen what we can do on third downs. But it starts with owning first and second down — stopping the run and earning the right to rush the passer.”
Stopping the run is paramount. The Rams were knocked out of last season’s playoffs largely because they couldn’t contain the ground game—something they’ll have to correct to seriously contend in 2025.
Fortunately, they’ve invested heavily in the front seven. Free-agent addition Poona Ford, a top-15 graded interior defender by Pro Football Focus, joins a young core that includes Turner, Jared Verse, Byron Young, and rookie Josaiah Stewart. Verse, the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, brings explosive pass-rushing prowess off the edge, while Turner and Ford anchor the interior.
Los Angeles Rams Defense Must Hit the Ground Running in 2025

Support Our Fight To End Fall Weddings
Their performance will be under the microscope in Week 3, when they take on Saquon Barkley and the Eagles who bounced them from the playoffs and dominated their regular season game with a collective 599 yards on the ground. In Week 4, they face a Colts team that ranked top-10 in every key rushing metric last season. Whether it’s Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones under center, the dual-threat capability will challenge L.A.’s discipline and gap integrity. Not to mention the big play threat brought by running back Jonathan Taylor.
In 2024, the Rams turned a corner late in the year. During their five-game win streak from Weeks 13-17, they held opponents to just 99.4 rushing yards per game—ninth-best in the league during that span.
With growing experience and upgraded depth, this group is capable of building on that momentum. Ford’s complete game and Turner’s growing dominance suggest the Rams have the building blocks to field one of the league’s most formidable front lines.
If Los Angeles can lock down the run game early and force opponents into predictable passing downs, the defensive line’s pass rushers will feast—and the Rams could once again find themselves in the thick of the NFC title race.
In Turner’s words: “We started to focus on that last year, but it’s an area where we can still grow and be more consistent.”
And consistency may be all that stands between this young defense and greatness.
Subscribe to LAFB Network’s Los Angeles Chargers YouTube Channel