The 2017 season was the first campaign for Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips with the talented Los Angeles Rams defense,as he looked to fit existing personnel into his highly touted 3-4 scheme.
The results were mixed.
The Rams were 12th in points allowed, but 28th in rushing yards allowed. In an effort to muscle up against the run, the Rams traded team captain ILB Alec Ogletree, who had some excruciating missed tackles and a hefty salary for the inside linebacker position. The team took a step towards solidifying the vacant Mike position when they used the 147th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, a 5th round pick, on Virginia bruiser Micah Kiser.