It’s not often you see the best player at one position play on the same defense as another player who’s also considered the best at his respective position. But for the Los Angeles Rams, that certainly seems to be the case.
They made the bold decision last year to pair Jalen Ramsey with Aaron Donald, creating an elite tandem on defense. And then this offseason, they ensured that duo would stay together for the foreseeable future by extending Jalen Ramsey with a five-year contract.
With Donald and Ramsey leading the defense, it’s no surprise the Rams rank among the NFL’s best in just about every category on that side of the ball; third in scoring, first in yards, second in third-down percentage. The list goes on.
The long-term potential of this pairing is incredible, especially considering neither player has even turned 30 yet. Sean McVay believes Donald and Ramsey have a chance to become an all-time tandem if they continue to play the way they have.
“The answer is yes,” McVay said Friday when asked if they could be one of the best duos ever. “I can even remember a couple of years ago, when Les (Snead) and I were first discussing the potential of acquiring Jalen and you say, OK, you’ve got Aaron and you can pair him with who we think is the most special player on the backend in the NFL at that spot.’ To be able to get those two together, that’s why we thought it was important to be able to get Jalen under contract. So, I do think so.”
"You see two of the best players in the world out in front blocking for him."
McVay's favorite play of Thursday night? @jalenramsey + @AaronDonald97 leading the way for @KennyYounggg. pic.twitter.com/8fUK0LSKpJ
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) December 12, 2020
Donald and Ramsey can’t carry the entire defense themselves. For a unit to be truly great, it takes all 11 starters, and then some from the backups. That’s what the Rams have gotten out of their defense this year and it’s led to one of the best defenses in franchise history.
Having two All-Pros makes life a lot easier for Brandon Staley and the rest of the defense, though, giving the coaches a number of options thanks to their versatility and talent.
Ramsey can play the slot, outside, line up at safety. You name it. Donald can rush over the center, the guard or kick outside and essentially become an edge rusher and have success at all of those spots.
That expands the playbook and leads to defensive dominance.
I think the power of this unit has been the unit, but those two in particular give us a variety and the ability to affect and change the game in so many different ways,” McVay continued. “I mean, Aaron’s versatility up front and all the different ways he can apply pressure, but then Jalen’s as versatile of DB as you’re going to see, in terms of being able to go outside, play on their No. 1 receiver, bump inside at the star position, blitz, tackle. I mean, he’s not just a corner, he’s a great football player. I do think that this year has been a reflection of that. That was a big reason when I first talked to Brandon Staley last year, was the vision that he had for those two players, for John Johnson, being able to try to say, ‘Okay, if you lose a (Dante) Fowler, let’s go get a Leonard Floyd. So, I’ve loved what this unit is about, but those two have definitely done a great job leading the way. I am hopeful and that’s kind of the goal for us if these guys keep doing what they’re doing.”
Donald is one of the favorites to win Defensive Player of the Year again, right there with T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett. Ramsey is also in the mix after locking down DK Metcalf, Mike Evans and DeAndre Hopkins in the last month.
Ramsey believes Donald should win it, saying people are “spoiled” by his greatness each year, but the fact that both players are in consideration is a testament to their talent level.
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