The Baltimore Ravens are beefing up their defensive line, adding former Los Angeles Rams DT Michael Brockers in free agency.
Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta is working some overtime on the first day of the legal tampering period. The Ravens are set to sign former Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Michael Brockers to a three-year contract. The deal is worth $30 million with $21 million guaranteed, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Baltimore had previously agreed to a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars for defensive lineman Calais Campbell over the weekend. With Campbell and now Brockers added to the defensive line, it appears as though the Ravens are moving forward without Michael Pierce, who is among their pending free agents this offseason.
Baltimore struggled at times stopping the run last season, especially in the playoffs where they lost to the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round. If their early moves are any indication, they’re aiming to fix that issue for the 2020 season.
Much like Pierce, Brockers’ production doesn’t really show up on the stat sheet. His three sacks and 63 combined tackles last season isn’t an accurate representation to what he means to a defensive line. As a stout run defender, Brockers will do wonders plugging up the center of the line and forcing opponents to run outside where safeties and linebackers can clean things up for modest gains.
After playing six seasons next to Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers doesn’t know how other teams will view his worth.
Playing on the same defensive line as future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald has its perks. He commands so much attention from opposing offensive linemen that it often opens up one-on-one opportunities for the Rams’ other pass rushers. Working with him in practice and in the weight room doesn’t hurt, either.
It also has its downsides, though. The attention he draws can cause some to question the actual talent level of the players around him. That’s happening with pending free agent Dante Fowler Jr., as some are wondering if his career year (11.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss) was a product of him playing next to Donald.
Michael Brockers is feeling a similar way as he enters free agency for the first time, questioning his value on the market.
“That messes with me a little bit,” Brockers said via ESPN. “When you play against one of the greatest 3-techniques that have ever played this game you have a skewed view on what’s good and what’s not, because you have to see a guy who has double-digit sacks every year and you have a guy like me, who is a good player, but doesn’t have as many sacks.
“So, it’s kind of like, what’s my worth, what’s my worth in this league?”
Brockers is coming off one of his best seasons, recording a career-high 63 tackles, nine quarterback hits (second-most in career), and three sacks. He’s been a model of consistency throughout his time with the Rams, never playing fewer than 12 games and recording at least 31 tackles in all but one season.
However, his sack numbers have never been high, peaking at 5.5 in 2013 while never reaching five sacks in another season. Seeing Brockers’ numbers next to Donald’s – at least 8.0 sacks per year with an NFL-high 20.5 in 2018 – makes Brockers’ stats seem insignificant.
That has the veteran somewhat confused heading into free agency, not knowing how teams will view his worth.
“I don’t know what respect I have around the league,” he said.
Brockers will reportedly test the free-agent market for the first time. The legal tampering period begins on Monday at noon, which will allow Brockers’ agent to discuss contract terms with the other 31 teams. On Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, he can officially sign a contract.
Ideally for the Rams, Brockers will test the market and give them a chance to match offers he receives elsewhere. If the price is too high, they can feel good about letting him go. But at least they’d have the chance to retain him if financially possible.
The Denver Broncos have the 15th overall pick in the draft this year and there’s been debate among fans and pundits on what position the team should target with that pick. Should the Broncos go after a wide receiver? Perhaps an offensive lineman?
Michael Brockers, a Los Angeles Rams pending free agent defensive lineman, suggested during a recent appearance on NFL Network that Denver should target a defensive lineman in the first round.
“You’re losing two starters on your defensive line, you’re [likely] losing a corner in free agency,” Brockers said. “Usually teams like to start building inside out, so I would say defensive line first.
“That’s just me, subjectively, picking a defensive player, a guy that’s going to get after the quarterback and stop the run. That might be your first choice [in the draft].”
Broncos defensive ends Derek Wolfe and Shelby Harris, as well as cornerback Chris Harris, are all scheduled to become free agents on March 18. Although he is admittedly biased, Brockers believes Denver should focus on finding replacements for Wolfe and Harris early in the draft.
The top defensive linemen in this year’s class are Chase Young, Derrick Brown, Javon Kinlaw and A.J. Epenesa, according to Draft Wire.
The Rams could lose Michael Brockers in free agency this offseason.
The start of free agency is only a few weeks away and the Los Angeles Rams have yet to sign any of their own players to prevent them from hitting the market. Cory Littleton and Dante Fowler Jr. are both expected to generate plenty of interest, while Andrew Whitworth seems on track to return to return to Los Angeles for another year.
Michael Brockers is a wild card, though. He’s spent the last eight years with the Rams, but his time with the franchise that made him a first-round pick could be coming to an end. According to ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry, Brockers “will test the market in free agency.”
Furthermore, “it is expected the veteran will earn a solid multiyear contract elsewhere.”
Brockers doesn’t put up big numbers from his defensive end position, but he’s an outstanding run defender and is coming off a year in which he had a career-high 63 tackles. He added three sacks and nine QB hits, earning a very respectable 74.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
Aaron Donald has made it clear he wants Brockers back in L.A. next season, but his opinion probably won’t be enough to sway the front office to make that happen. The money has to be right with the Rams having limited cap space to work with.
Brockers is the longest-tenured position player on the roster, but it seems that title could be handed off to someone else next season.
Breaking down the best defensive and special teams players to play for the Rams during the 2010s.
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Despite an up-and-down decade on offense, the Rams have had one of the better defenses in the NFL since Jeff Fisher took over as head coach in 2012. They had a fearsome pass rush even before Aaron Donald arrived and their secondary has always been a tough out for opposing quarterbacks. The Rams became known for their defensive identity before Sean McVay arrived, and they continued to shine under McVay and Wade Phillips.
There are a lot of players deserving of a spot on the Rams 2010s All-Decade Team, at least compared to the other side of the ball. To choose this group, we only factored in the achievements of a player during their time with the Rams between 2010-2019. For example, Chris Long’s first two years with the Rams did not affect his status on this list.
You can read the selections for offense here. We’ll start with the defensive line, and we’ll end with special teams.
Defensive end/EDGE: Robert Quinn (2011-2017) & Chris Long (2010-2015)
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Since the Rams ran two different styles of defense last decade, we’ll be combining some positions here. But this is one of the most obvious choices of the entire list.
Robert Quinn’s 2013 season was one for the ages. Quinn recorded 19 sacks, 23 tackles for loss, 34 quarterback hits, seven forced fumbles, and even scored a touchdown. He was named a First-Team All-Pro, the only All-Pro selection of the decade for a Rams defensive player not named Aaron Donald, and won the PFWA Defensive Player of the Year award.
The rest of Quinn’s tenure with the Rams wasn’t too shabby. He totaled 62.5 sacks in his seven years with the team, which is tied for the fourth-most in franchise history. He’ll likely go down as one of the more underrated Rams.
Though Chris Long’s numbers weren’t as flashy as Quinn’s, he was a perfect complement to him on the other side of the defensive line. In addition 45.5 sacks and 56 tackles for loss during his six years with the Rams last decade, Long was a locker room leader, a team captain, and a well-respected teammate. Players have long been vocal about how much they enjoyed playing with him.
Despite spending eight seasons with the Rams, Long will be remembered for what he accomplished in his three seasons after leaving. He won back-to-back Super Bowls with the Patriots and Eagles in addition to being selected as the Walter Payton Man of the Year in his final NFL season. Regardless, the bulk of his career starts happened with the Rams, and he’s more than deserving of a spot on this list.
The Rams have a big decision to make on their longest-tenured position player.
Michael Brockers has played 123 career games with the Rams, only missing five games in his eight-year career since being a first-round pick out of LSU in 2012. As the longest-tenured position player on the team, he’s been as reliable as anyone over the course of his career, even if he hasn’t put up huge numbers.
Since the Rams switched to a 3-4 scheme in 2017, he’s had at least 54 tackles in each of the last three seasons, totaling 8.5 sacks and 21 QB hits in that span. He originally started as the nose tackle when Wade Phillips took over, but for the better of the team, he moved to defensive end without issue.
Now a free agent once again, the Rams have a decision to make: keep Brockers around for a few more years or move on and let him walk? That’s not an easy call to make, of course, for several reasons.
2019 stats: 63 tackles (3 for a loss), 3.0 sacks, 9 QB hits
PFF grade: 74.6 overall
Analysis
Brockers has been steady for the Rams since they switched to the 3-4 front – and really, throughout his entire career. Never a Pro Bowler or star in the NFL, Brockers simply does his job as a run stopper and provides a little bit as a pass rusher at times.
2019 was one of his best seasons, posting a career-high 63 tackles with nine QB hits – second-most he’s ever had, only trailing his 2013 campaign (10). His three sacks are nothing to write home about, but his impact comes more as a run defender than pass rusher.
Aaron Donald called Brockers “one of the best run stoppers in the National Football League,” saying he’s “been that way since I’ve been in the league.”
“He’s one of the main reasons we’re able to do what we can in the run game and do a lot of things just with moving him and putting him in positions to help us,” Donald added.
Fans and casual observers may not recognize the impact Brockers has on a weekly basis, but the Rams clearly know the value he brings to the defense against the run.
Positional need: Medium
The 3-4 defensive end position isn’t necessarily one of the most important on the defense. It can be filled with relatively inexpensive players, but the best ones in the NFL have a huge impact on their teams – guys like Cam Heyward, J.J. Watt and Akiem Hicks.
Brockers isn’t on that level, but he certainly is the best option for the Rams. They don’t have a viable replacement on the roster right now, with Morgan Fox being the only other candidate to replace Brockers – and even he’s a free agent, albeit a restricted one.
The Rams shouldn’t have immense trouble finding someone to take Brockers’ place, but replacing his leadership and ability as a run stopper could be a challenge. There will be options available who offer more as pass rushers, particularly in the draft, but Brockers’ impact comes against the run, which is a weakness of the Rams.
Prediction: Signs two-year, $13 million deal with Rams
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In the end, the Rams will see the value Brockers brings and prefer to keep him in the mix rather than spending a draft pick on a defensive end when their assets are so limited as it is. Brockers has expressed a strong desire to come back and said in an interview last year that he believes he will stay with the Rams.
While he’s been in the NFL for eight years, Brockers is still on the right side of 30, so he has additional productive seasons still ahead of him. The Rams should try to lock him up with a short-term deal, hoping he’ll take a slight hometown discount to remain with the team that drafted him.
But if they can’t get him for around $7 million per year after his last contract paid him more than $11 million annually, they should consider looking elsewhere for his replacement.
Arizona has a need along the defensive line – the good news is that there are quite a few good free agents that seem to be good fits.
With free agency around the corner, let’s go take a look at a huge position of need for Arizona – the defensive line. And there are quite a few good fits in what appears to be a somewhat deep group of free agents:
Michael Brockers could leave the Rams this offseason after eight years with the organization.
Excluding special teams, there isn’t a single player who’s been with the Los Angeles Rams longer than Michael Brockers. He’s spent eight years with the organization since being a first-round pick in 2012.
Though he’s never been a Pro Bowler or a household name for anyone outside of L.A. or St. Louis, Brockers is one of the most well-respected players in the locker room and among fans. It’s easy to see why, too.
Ahead of becoming a free agent in March, Brockers penned this thank you letter to Rams fans, reminiscing on the last eight years. It had the feel of a goodbye, but unless he knows something everyone else doesn’t, the Rams haven’t moved on from him yet.
Brockers thanked GM Les Snead and owner Stan Kroenke and the entire organization for giving him the chance to prove himself with the Rams. He also touched on what it was like to play alongside Aaron Donald and Dante Fowler Jr., as well as the Rams’ other key players.
“You know, teaming up with Aaron and Dante and Cory [Littleton] and [Jared] Goff and Whit [Andrew Whitworth]. Everybody, man,” he said. “It was just crazy – the rest of the guys. We brought Showtime back to L.A. and we just feel like it was the greatest experience for the fans here to enjoy that with us.
“I think it’d be safe to say that it’ll be thriving for a long time – way after I’m done with the game.”
Brockers doesn’t know what his future holds, but he didn’t want to miss the chance to thank fans and the team before they potentially part ways in March.
“No matter what happens next, I was honored to be a Ram, honored to be a part of this organization and honored to put those horns on. Me and my family can’t wait to see what’s next and we just want to say thank you,” Brockers said in closing. “Peace and love, and see you soon.”
In addition to Brockers hitting free agency, so too will Cory Littleton, Dante Fowler and Andrew Whitworth. Keeping all of them will be impossible due to the salary cap, so the front office will have to pick and choose.
Aaron Donald went to bat for his fellow teammates who will hit free agency in March.
Having one of the best players in the NFL heap praise on you is great. Having him talk you up and vouch for you before hitting free agency is even better.
That’s exactly what Aaron Donald is doing for his teammates who are set to become free agents in March. Having played at least the last year and a half with Cory Littleton, Michael Brockers and Dante Fowler Jr., Donald is familiar with their games.
The Rams certainly won’t be able to keep all three, which will leave at least one gaping hole on the defense’s front seven. Donald would love to see them all return to Los Angeles, saying they’re players that the defense needs.
“I’m gonna try to keep my eye open and do my part if they ask me some questions, hopefully I can help with that. But these are guys that we need back that I feel can help this team to win,” he said last week. “They’re guys that have been productive on this team, helping us get into position to win. Hopefully these guys will be back on our team because I love playing with them. I think they push me, help me to be a better football player and I feel like they’re guys that we need.”
Brockers, Littleton and Fowler all had arguably the best seasons of their career. Littleton led the team in tackles (134), Fowler was second in sacks with 11.5 and Brockers recorded the most tackles in his career (63).
Brockers doesn’t typically put up big numbers, but Donald recognized him as one of the best run stoppers in the league.
“I think he’s one of the best run stoppers in the National Football League,” Donald said. “He’s been that way since I’ve been in the league watching him and playing with him. He don’t got the sack numbers but as far as production when it comes to stopping the run and doing his job, he’s been great at it. He’s one of the main reasons we’re able to do what we can in the run game and do a lot of things just with moving him and putting him in positions to help us.”
Littleton was snubbed for the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams, but he’s emerged as a top linebacker in the NFL. He’s the only player who had at least 130 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions this season and just the second player since 2016 with those numbers.
Donald said he’s “just a playmaker,” always finding himself near the ball and creating big plays.
“Making a lot of plays, always around the ball, trying to find ways to have the ball in his hands – if it’s just strips to interceptions, and he’s even getting his sack numbers up. So he’s just a guy that’s non-stop around the ball,” he said.
Littleton and Fowler will be especially difficult to replace, which likely makes them the top priorities in free agency. Whether the Rams keep the inside linebacker or the pass rusher will be a huge decision, one that will have a significant impact on the defense.
Les Snead isn’t sure Michael Brockers will return in 2020, weighing the Rams’ options this offseason.
Michael Brockers has been a member of the Rams since he was drafted 14th overall in 2012. He’s one of the longest-tenured members of the team, having played 123 games in eight seasons.
He’s set to be a free agent in March, and as important a role as he’s played in recent years, Brockers may not be in the Rams’ plans for 2020 and beyond. He’s 29 years old and was making more than $11 million on his last three-year contract.
He won’t fetch that amount on his next deal, but he’s also not going to be as cheap as someone like Morgan Fox, who shared time with Brockers at defensive end toward the end of the season.
General manager Les Snead has a lot to work through in the coming months, and this week, he spoke specifically on Brockers’ situation.
“What’s his market moving forward? Can we afford that? Do we think he helps us?” Snead said about Brockers, via the team’s official site. “That’s where you got to get this passionate to 2021, 2022 however long we were to sign him. Is it best for us to allocate those resources to another position in our human being? That’s still yet to be determined.”
While there seems to be some doubt about where the Rams are headed with Brockers, there’s no question about what the veteran wants to do. He wants to remain in Los Angeles and help usher in a new era of Rams football when they move to SoFi Stadium next season.
“In my mind, (being) biased, I would love to be here,” Brockers said. “I’ve played the position, I’m comfortable here, comfortable with the coaching staff, comfortable with the standards we uphold here, but I understand it’s a business as well. Understanding that aspect, you never know.”
Brockers had a strong season in 2019, recording a career-high 63 tackles and posting three sacks. His nine quarterback hits were his second-most in a season, as well. He plays an important role, especially against the run, but money will of course be in the conversation; it’s possible Brockers can get more elsewhere.
Free agency opens in March, but the Rams can extend him before he hits the market. But with Cory Littleton, Andrew Whitworth and Dante Fowler Jr. also becoming free agents, Brockers isn’t the only priority.
