Greg Gaines has become a key contributor to the defense of the Los Angeles Rams, especially with Sebastian Joseph-Day missing a decent portion of the season. When looking at Gaines, he doesn’t appear to be a player that would be able to rush the passer and clog running lanes consistently for an NFL defense.
Von Miller admits that he didn’t even know who Gaines was before he was traded to the Rams earlier this season. But with Miller getting to know the team more as the season has progressed, he now knows how talented Gaines is on the football field.
“I didn’t know anything about Greg Gaines. I wasn’t familiar with his game. I wasn’t familiar with the type of guy he is. Just to be honest, I had never heard of Greg Gaines, but that changed the very first game that I saw him play – like not that actual game, but when you turn on the film,” Miller said. “Greg Gaines is a red dot type of player. When you watch a film you have like the little laser pointer. They’re going to have the laser pointer on Greg Gaines whether he’s making the tackle or whatever. He is such a great football player and I’ve been blown away with the type of talent that he has.”
Gaines isn’t the most physically imposing nose tackle, standing 6-foot-1 and 312 pounds. But he moves like a defensive end and still possesses the strength you want from a nose tackle.
And despite looking like “a substitute teacher,” as Miller put it, Gaines has become an absolute stud for the Rams alongside Aaron Donald, Leonard Floyd and Miller.
“When you talk to him, you see him, he kind of looks like a substitute teacher,” Miller joked. “But when he puts on pads and he’s playing football, he’s a whole totally different player. And Greg Gaines can play. He can play some really, really good football with the best of them. It’s an honor and a privilege to play with all of these guys, man. It’s been a pleasant surprise to get to know Greg Gaines and see the type of football that he plays. He’s a tough guy, too. He’s playing with a broken hand. He’s still out there. Sometimes guys get hurt and they kind of dread playing in the game. Greg, he was excited to play in this last game with a broken hand. And I’ve just been blown away with the type of guy he is, the type of character that he has and the type of football that he plays. It’s been a privilege.”
Gaines is amidst a career year in his third season with the Rams. Entering Week 18, Gaines has tallied career-highs in combined tackles (51), tackles for loss (4), and sacks (4.5).
When Gaines was selected in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Washington, many expected him to be a run-stopping nose tackle that would be solely inserted on clear running downs. However, Gaines has flashed tons of potential as a pass rusher this season, giving the Rams something to build on moving forward.
Miller was ecstatic to join the Rams with Donald, Jalen Ramsey, and Floyd being present on defense. Even though he was unaware of Gaines’ skills when he first arrived, Miller now knows the potential that Gaines has for the future in this defense alongside some of the most gifted players in the league.
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