The Rams need help at outside linebacker and two veterans from the NFC North offer intriguing skillsets.
Dante Fowler Jr. surprisingly remains on the free-agent market, but given the season he had in 2019, there’s a good chance he’ll be out of the Rams’ price range. After seeing Robert Quinn land a contract worth $14 million per year, Fowler could push $17 million annually on his next deal.
If the Rams don’t want to open their wallets and hand out another massive contract, there are a pair of cheaper options available to them right now. On Tuesday, the Lions released veteran Devon Kennard and the Bears parted ways with Leonard Floyd.
They’re trending in opposite directions as their careers go, but both make for intriguing targets for Los Angeles.
Kennard rejuvenated himself with the Lions since joining them in 2018, recording seven sacks in each of the last two seasons. He hit the quarterback 29 total times in that span, racking up 104 tackles with 18 of those coming behind the line of scrimmage.
In the season opener, he had three sacks on Kyler Murray, including this one rushing from the strong side and showing the ability to turn the corner and wrap up the QB before he could escape the pocket.
This is an impressive rush by Kennard against Chiefs RT Mitchell Schwartz, who didn’t allow a sack all season and didn’t surrender a single pressure in the postseason.
He was the model of consistency in Detroit, only missing one game and contributing in a big way on the edge for Matt Patricia. Though not a prolific pass rusher, Kennard has been a productive player the last two years and was a captain in 2019.
Kennard even rushed from the inside at times as a stand-up linebacker, coming on the blitz here to make a tackle for loss. His versatility could be coveted by Brandon Staley in L.A., offering the ability to play and rush from multiple spots.
As for Floyd, his sack numbers have dipped every year since being drafted in 2016. That was the case in college at Georgia, too, with his sack totals decreasing each season before going No. 9 overall in the 2016 draft.
What makes Floyd an interesting target for the Rams is his connection to new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who coached the outside linebackers in Chicago for two seasons in 2017 and 2018. Few people know Floyd’s game better than Staley, so if the Rams pursue him, it’s probably because Staley encouraged them to.
To be clear, Floyd wouldn’t replace the production of Fowler. He’s not going to put up 11.5 sacks and consistently get to the quarterback the way Fowler did last season. However, Floyd is a quality run defender on the edge, more so than Fowler is.
His length allows him to keep from getting eaten up by blockers, disengaging well in order to make the tackle.
Neither player is going to solve all of the Rams’ problems if Fowler leaves, but they will shore up a position that looks weak right now. Clay Matthews is really the only proven edge rusher on the roster right now, with Samson Ebukam and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo competing on the opposite side.
Obviously, there’s still the draft, but the Rams need help at outside linebacker and both of these players would come at reasonable prices for Los Angeles.
