For the Los Angeles Rams, it’s not a hot take to report that as they enter training camp, playoff hopes for the upcoming season ride on how well the defense plays. While they lost all-time great Aaron Donald over the off season, leaving a huge hole in the heart of the defense, there are some reasons for optimism. The 2023 rebuild force-fed snaps to a stable of promising, young players with the bulk returning for 2024 and L.A. invested their first two draft picks (#19 and #39) on the defensive side.
The 2023 youth movement held their own and although at times it may have seemed opposing pass offenses played pitch and catch at will, the bend-but-don’t-break approach resulted in a middle-of-the-pack defense and kept the Rams within striking distance in all but a few games.