The Rams have had two future Hall of Famers on defense for the last three-plus seasons. Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey have led the way for Los Angeles on that side of the ball, earning All-Pro designations in each of their two full seasons together.
But this offseason, the Rams added a third defensive star: Bobby Wagner. Though not a one-for-one replacement for Von Miller, Wagner helped step in as a leader in the middle of the defense and the team’s new signal caller.
There was a lot of hype surrounding this trio of Donald, Ramsey and Wagner, but they’ve lived up to it – even if it may not seem that way due to the Rams’ underwhelming 3-5 record.
According to Pro Football Focus, Wagner is the highest-graded linebacker, Donald is the second-highest graded interior D-lineman and Ramsey is the No. 2 cornerback.
The players ahead of Donald and Ramsey are Chris Jones and Jack Jones – so you could say they’re trying to keep up with the Joneses, and doing a pretty good job.
Notable PFF Player Grades from Week 9:
🔹 @bwagz is the highest-graded LB (87.1)
🔹 @AaronDonald97 is the 2nd-highest graded interior DL (90.5)
🔹 @jalenramsey is the 2nd-highest graded CB (86.7) pic.twitter.com/DdMrJn8UzR— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 8, 2022
When pitting the Rams’ trio against the rest of the NFL, it’s impressive where they rank. Donald is No. 5 overall among all defenders, while Wagner is 16th and Ramsey is 18th. That gives the Rams three defenders in the top 20, which no other team can claim to have. The Broncos and Jets are the only other teams with two top-20 defenders, per PFF.
The problem is, Donald, Ramsey and Wagner haven’t gotten a ton of help from the rest of the defense. The fourth-highest graded defender is Troy Hill at 79.8, but he’s only played four games. Ernest Jones is fifth at 73.7, followed by Grant Haley (70.8) and Marquise Copeland (70.8) – two backups. Leonard Floyd and A’Shawn Robinson are the only other defenders with grades above 65.
Donald and Ramsey were expected to continue shining for the Rams, but Wagner’s designation as the highest-graded linebacker in football is positively surprising. Many said he had lost a step now that he’s 32 years old, but that simply hasn’t been the case.
He’s been every bit the Pro Bowl linebacker the Rams thought they were getting, earning his highest grade since 2018. There’s no doubt he was a smart signing by the Rams, helping improve a linebacker position that’s been a weakness for years.
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