Morgan Fox missed the entire 2018 season with a torn ACL, which was a big blow to the Rams defense because he was in the process of transitioning to outside linebacker – a position of need for Los Angeles that year. He bounced back in 2019 by playing all 16 games, even earning three starts.
His playing time was still limited (32% of the snaps), but Fox made an impact defensively as a backup defensive end with two sacks and three tackles for loss. Though they’re hardly impressive numbers, he was a reliable No. 2 DE behind Michael Brockers.
Set to become a restricted free agent, Fox has a good chance to stay with the Rams. But RFA tenders don’t come extremely cheap, so the Rams will need to determine his value and whether he’s worth the lowest amount of $2.14 million.
- 2019 stats: 18 tackles (3 TFL), 2.0 sacks, 3 QB hits
- PFF grade: 50.7 overall
Analysis
Fox has the requisite size to play defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, standing at 6-foot-3, 275 pounds. He’s smaller than Brockers, but you could make the case that he offers more as a pass rusher than the guy he’s behind on the depth chart.
He had a key sack against the Steelers to force a punt and another against the 49ers later in the year, taking Jimmy Garoppolo down 8 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Both of his sacks came on third down, which was often when he came onto the field.
That shows the confidence the coaching staff has in him as a pass rusher, subbing Brockers off in favor of Fox in passing situations. He’ll never be a double-digit-sack player, but Fox does offer some upside at defensive end.
Positional need: Medium
Brockers is the first domino that needs to fall. If he returns, the Rams could probably make do without Fox and find a cheaper, younger option in the draft. However, if Brockers departs in free agency, Fox’s return becomes that much more important.
While he wouldn’t be a surefire starter, he’d be the team’s best option at defensive end. They’d still most likely add one in the draft, but with Fox on the roster, that need becomes smaller.
Prediction: Signs original-round tender for $2.14 million
I think the Rams will see the value that Fox brings, especially with not much depth at defensive end on the roster right now. They’ll apply an original-round tender to him, which will cost $2.14 million for the 2020 season alone.
It might not be a bargain, but it’s also not a huge price to pay for a potential starter.