Not long after Dante Fowler Jr. agreed to terms with the Atlanta Falcons, the Los Angeles Rams found an outside linebacker to help fill the void. They signed Leonard Floyd to a one-year deal worth $10 million, bringing aboard a player who played for Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley in Chicago.
The move was met with mixed reviews, as some fans applauded the team for taking another chance on a draft bust, while others believe it comes with too much risk. Pro Football Focus isn’t sold on Floyd making an impact with the Rams and named him the team’s worst move in free agency.
Worst move: Signing Leonard Floyd for one-year, $10 million fully guaranteed
Leonard Floyd never blossomed into the pass-rusher we all thought he’d turn out to be as a top-10 prospect just a few seasons ago. Since he entered the league in 2016, Floyd ranks 67th of 76 qualifying edge defenders in PFF pass-rush grade and owns the fifth-highest percentage of pressures that were either a cleanup or unblocked. As said, the offensive line needs a lot of work, and that money could have gone there as opposed to risking it in Floyd, hoping he just needs a change of scenery.
Floyd’s sack totals have decreased in each season he’s been in the NFL, which was the same trend we saw from him at Georgia before he was made a first-round pick. He’s a good run defender, but as a pass rusher, his game needs a lot of work.
Too often, he engages blockers with very little plan, resulting in unsuccessful rushes and a lack of pressure. That’s bad news for the Rams, who lack impactful players at outside linebacker.
On the flip side, the Rams’ re-signing of Andrew Whitworth was named their best move of free agency with PFF’s Anthony Treash writing that “losing Whitworth would have made them arguably the worst line in the NFL.”
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