The Rams scoff at these so-called “draft picks.”
Ever since Sean McVay was hired by the Rams to be their head coach, they’ve consistently traded away draft picks for proven veterans that can immediately make the difference towards a title run. Jalen Ramsey, Matthew Stafford, Brandin Cooks and now Von Miller have all been acquired via trading away premium draft picks. It’s an unusual strategy, but it’s certainly been working for McVay and general manager Les Snead.
Now, as the Rams gear up for another Super Bowl run behind the best offense in the league, they have arguably the best trio of defenders on the other side of the ball to help them close out games.
Aaron Donald. Jalen Ramsey. Von Miller.
The Rams may never have a draft pick again!
But a defense with Aaron Donald, Von Miller and Jalen Ramsey is well worth it
— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) November 1, 2021
The Rams are coming off of a year where they had comfortably the best defense in the league with a scheme that was centered around Donald and Ramsey and now they have Miller. Miller has looked as good as he has in the past this season, racking up 4.5 sacks in just seven games.
Miller’s addition creates a whole new world of problems for teams that are faced with the unfortunate task of having to play the Rams. Leonard Floyd moves into a role where he is now the third most dangerous pass rusher the Rams have instead of the second. Players like Floyd and Dante Fowler Jr. have benefited heavily from playing with Donald in the past.
This is no slight to Floyd and Fowler, who are more than capable players in their own rights, but neither of them are Miller. Miller is future Hall of Famer, one of the few players in NFL history to cross the elusive 100-sack barrier in his career.
Donald and Miller on the same side of the defensive line is a total nightmare for opposing defenses. Donald is still likely to get the majority of the attention in pass protection, leaving more one-on-one opportunities for Miller. It’s hard for offenses to logistically double team Donald and Miller without leaving themselves open to poor blocking situations against Floyd and other Rams.
Teams that do decide to leave in extra blockers will likely find it difficult to generate consistent offense. More blockers means fewer receivers running routes, which means easier matchups for the best cornerback in the league in Ramsey. Trading for Miller is more than just a last second acquisition for a team at the deadline, it also creates a math problem that’s hard to solve on gamedays.
The Rams have created a defense that perfectly complements their high-powered offense. Once Stafford and the Rams offense start pouring the points on, Donald and Miller will get to pin their ears back in increasingly obvious passing game situations — with Ramsey hawking for errant throws behind them. All for the price of a second and third round pick.
Good luck to everyone playing against the Rams this year, life just got a lot harder.
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