He tore the ACL in each of his knees while at Florida, the left in 2011 and the right in '13. Then he ended the 2014 and '15 seasons with the Patriots on injured reserve, first with an injured knee and then with an injured thigh.
The Rams picked Easley up after he was released in April 2016 and watched him turn in a very productive season as a backup last season. Easley posted a career-high 3.5 sacks and was graded 30th among 125 qualified interior defenders by Pro Football Focus.
With William Hayes gone, Easley was set to start on a defensive line that included Michael Brockers and Aaron Donald.