Lost in all of the changes the Rams made to their roster this offseason is the star power they still possess on defense. There aren’t many teams that have arguably the best pass rusher in the league, as well as one of the top cornerbacks on the same defense, but that’s exactly what Los Angeles has with Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey.
We have a good idea of how Donald will perform and be used in the Rams’ new defense led by Brandon Staley, but Ramsey’s role and production are much less certain. Will he shadow No. 1 cornerbacks? Will he strictly play outside? Will he make more plays on the ball than he did last year?
Staley has more than three months to determine Ramsey’s role and how he’ll deploy the All-Pro cornerback, but he loves what he’s seen thus far in the virtual offseason program. On a conference call with reporters Thursday, Staley heaped praise on Ramsey for his willingness to learn and the relationship they’ve been able to develop in a short time this offseason.
“I love coaching this guy. It has been one of the unique parts about this whole thing is the relationship that I’ve been able to form with him in a short time,” Staley said. “This guy has been really, really fun to work with. He’s got a high capacity to learn, he’s got a high capacity to lead. … This game means a lot to him, his craft, his focus, his commitment – I couldn’t be more impressed with this guy. He and I talk three times a day, we FaceTime after every meeting. We’re talking all the time and it’s been one of the highlights of the offseason for me is being able to form that relationship in such a short time.”
What makes Ramsey unique is his versatility. He can play man or zone coverage, but he can also play outside cornerback or in the slot. Staley wants to utilize his position flexibility even more than that, though.
He says Ramsey can play anywhere in the secondary, including safety. Ramsey played safety for two years at Florida State before moving to cornerback, and not surprisingly, he succeeded at both spots.
“He’s got command of all the positions in the defensive backfield. I cannot look at him just as a corner. I look at him as a DB. This guy can do anything. He thinks like a quarterback,” Staley said. “What’s awesome about him is he can play anywhere. He can play outside or inside or safety. So we can move him around if we need to.”
The Rams’ secondary is filled with versatile defenders. Taylor Rapp can play either safety spot, as well as a hybrid linebacker role. Rookie Terrell Burgess played everywhere from nickel corner to free safety to outside cornerback last season at Utah. Troy Hill can play inside and out, and John Johnson can play free or strong safety.
Ramsey’s ability to play anywhere in the secondary is an added bonus because it gives Staley almost endless options. He’s determined to get the most out of the talented corner and strongly believes Ramsey has more to show in the NFL.
“I’m really excited to coach Jalen,” Staley said. “I think there’s a lot more in him than he’s shown in the NFL. he’s shown himself to be one of the premier guys but I know there’s a lot more in him for him to showcase to you guys and to our fans and certainly looking for him to provide a lot of leadership and production in that defensive backfield.”
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